Posted 1st Mar 2018
Today (1st March) sees Wales come alive in a country-wide celebration of national pride
Children will be wearing traditional costumes and national emblems will be visible as far as the eye can see, all in honour of St David. How much do you know about the saint himself? We find out a few facts about him here...
1 St David's Day falls on the anniversary of his death, which was on March 1st 589 AD.
2 St David comes from a royal line - his father was prince of Ceredigion, while his mother Non (who is also a saint) is the niece of legendary King Arthur.
3 "Gwnewch y pethau bychain" or "do the little things" is one of the last things St David said before dying, and it's considered one of his most famous phrases. The phrase encourages people across Wales to do small, kind things that will make a big difference.
4 St David's Day became a day of national celebration in the 18th century.
5 St David is said to have performed several miracles throughout his life, including restoring a blind man's sight and bringing a dead boy back to life by splashing his face with tears.
6 St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire is home to the shrine of St David, which was viewed so highly by Pope Callistus II that he compared the two pilgrimages to St David’s as the equivalent of one to the Vatican in Rome.
7 King Edward I took the head and arm of St David from the Cathedral following his 1284 conquest in Wales. He displayed the remains, along with several other holy relics, in London.
8 The most famous miracle to be associated with St David occurred in Llanddewi Brefi, when he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd who had come to listen to his sermons. To make sure everyone could see him, he placed a handkerchief on the floor and stood on it, before it grew into a small hill and lifted him, making him visible to everyone.
9 St David is traditionally depicted with a dove, standing on a hillock, while his symbol is the leek.
10 Thanks to the presence of its cathedral, St David’s is the smallest city in Britain, with a population of around 1,600 - compare this to the estimated population of Cardiff, which is 358,000