Saint Davids Festival With History, Symbols, Festivities And Further Details

Saint David’s Festival Day is a well-known festival celebrated every year at the initial days of spring. This day is celebrated to remember and recall the incidence of the death of a great leader and Guardian Saint of Wales he belonged to an emperor family of Cunedda.

this day is specifically known as the feast day that is celebrated in remembrance of Saint David. The festival falls on the 1^st of March, the death day of Saint David in 589 AD. The feast of Saint has been glorified since the sanctification of David in the earlier 12th century (this is by Pope Callixtus II).

the day gets celebrated with pride and honor and dignity as well but still, it is not officially announced as the national holiday in the UK.

Saint Davids Festival and History

Well, this the Saint David’s festival celebrated as the death remembrance of the Welsh bishop. He lived in the 6^th century. This day is getting celebrated all over the country and pay tributes, arrange parades and ceremonies etc. This event takes place at the largest extent in Cardiff.

It is a festival day of Christians that is observed annually on 1st March in the remembrance of the great leader of Wales. He died on 1st March in 598 AD. He was famous and popular mostly because of its religious connectivity. He was a popular religious preacher and the creator of lots of religious communities.

Introduction of Saint David

Saint David was born in the late 5th century in Caerfai southwest Wales into a noble family. Saint David was a religious leader and he became famous for his religious speeches and activities. Being a religious leader he expanded his community fast. He preached Christianity and also built many churches. He spread out his beliefs, words, thoughts, and actions of Christianity throughout Wales and Brittany.

He made his strong connections and built referent power on behalf of his religious intelligence and confidence.

there are still churches that use to remember him every year. some churches are standing that is the live store of Saint David in the memory. His death anniversary is on the 1^st March, 598 AD.

This day is specifically known by his name, although according to cultural facts it is clear that he lived a splendid age of approximately 100 years. It is a long period of time that he lived. The people of wale do respect him. There was a time until the 18th century when this day was neither officially celebrated everywhere nor it was announced as the national holiday. There are some wonders related to him. Here is the one, you may consider it small but you can’t deny this reality. Once during a religious speech of huge gathering in which a decision of making him the Arch-pope had to be made. When he was called to speak to the audience, People were complaining of the disturbance that was caused due to the large crowd. Suddenly that piece of land raised high and people became able to see and listen to him.

The fame of Saint David

he got the fame in the times of Welsh opposition, as a local supporter only and then with the time he became a respectful bishop.

The significance of the Saint Davids Festival

Here the question arises that is it a National Holiday or not?

Well, this question carries a lot of history in it. there are many places where it was once celebrated as a national holiday but then govt. canceled it and in some places, people pass it with half days off.

this is not a national holiday, but still, it has some importance. there is large support in the favor to make it a bank holiday.

In the past times, a campaign was held and at the governmental level, an effort was made by the National Assembly of Wales to make it a Public Holiday. this happened in 2000. after some times it was changed into the official Bank holiday. The British Govt. took this step.

This resulted in the disappointment of the general public as many other countries were having a public holiday but England and Wales were not having it.

Voting for Saint’s Day

in 2006, on behalf of public’ disappointment govt. decided to conduct a poll or voting session which resulted in wonder that nearly 87% of people wanted it to be declared as a bank holiday, in wales. Even almost 65% of the people were ready to sacrifice some other holiday just to have it and enjoy it with their families.

Even after such high results in 2007 the appeal to make this day a bank holiday was refused. The British Prime Minister took this step.

Festivities of Saint Davids Holidays:

• people wear leeks and daffodils at the traditional festivities.
• traditional food has been arranged which includes Cawl and famous Welsh Rarebits
• wearing traditional dresses is a common practice. People wear symbolic clothes etc which shows their willingness towards paying honor to him and it also shows their love for Saint David.
• The best part of this event is that many parades and such attractive calls are organized on this day. This practice basically promotes their festival across the whole world, and as a result, this day gets recognized.
• Government opens the Welsh Tradition Places for the common public, without any charges. People visit there and make family tours to the traditional places, this creates an air of acknowledgment and their youth and children get attached to their tradition.

Formal and Informal Activities

In many countries, people celebrate it with joy, honor, and enthusiasm but there are some countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States where this is not considered as a national holiday. But they still consider it the day of celebration so many schools, institutions, offices, and business sectors arrange different events on this day. They celebrate it with respect and honor. They held special programs on the 1^st of March.

Not only this but officially a parade has also being organized every year in his remembrance.

Symbols:

it is a natural practice to promote the tradition by wearing the symbols. The basic symbol of this day is a Welsh flag that has a red dragon printed on it. its background is white and green.

People use to wear printed shirts, caps, glasses and many other things that have their flag’s dragon symbol. other than this they also use Scallion on their clothes, this is also a symbol of Wales.

Important Facts:

according to researches, it is said that Saint David lived a long life but his work and words emerged out after five years of his death. this fact makes some things suspicious in a manner that it is difficult to judge which part of his life is true or what are just rumors about his life.

it is of no doubt that he was a famous religious teacher because if we go back to his background it has been reported that his parents were also religious participants.

He was glorified in 1120 and 1st of March and also his day included in the calendar of the church. People started traveling to his church after he was glorified. A church yet stays on its original place.

Tradition and Culture of People

• on this day most of the time people catch the Welsh Tradition in the remembrance of The Saint, their great guider.
• the government still not declared it as a national holiday but in respect or as an honor they give liberty and announces half day off (holiday) in schools and academies.
• The government sectors remain open and no holiday (complete or half) is in offices or for business matters.
• people arrange events at the academic level and at the office level. they wear symbolic caps, badges, printed shirts and clothes that represent their traditions.
• Other than this many professional activities also happen, like parades are organized and being performed on this day.