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David,
also known as Dewi, was born in Wales in the sixth century.
His father was the Celtic chieftain King Sant, his mother was
St. Non, and he was believed to be distantly related to King
Arthur. David became a priest and went to the Isle of Wight
to study. He miraculously cured his teacher of blindness caused
by incessant weeping. On a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he attended
a conference against heretics and, legend has it, the ground
swelled beneath his feet and raised him above the congregation.
A dove landed on his shoulder, and when he began to speak all
could hear him, and all were touched by the eloquence of his
words. Soon after he was elected Primate of Wales. He went on
to found twelve monasteries, including one in Bath where he
made “deadly water to become healing by a blessing.”
His monks followed a strict rule: they never spoke unless absolutely
necessary; prayed constantly, even while performing manual labor;
and ate only bread and water (sometimes mixed with a little
milk) and leeks (which are the traditional symbol of Wales).
Any outsider wanting to join the order was forced to wait outside
for ten days and then made to endure a brutal diatribe before
being admitted. David was nicknamed “The Waterman”
because he would immerse himself for hours in freezing cold
water, and because of his abhorrence to alcohol. He lived to
be a very old man, and when he died his soul was said to have
been seen as it floated up to heaven. David is also the patron
of Wales and doves. His feast day is March 1. |
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Patron St. of
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