±«Óătv

What is St Dwynwen's Day and how are you celebrating?

  • Published
  • comments
St Dwynwen's DayImage source, Ian Gavan

St Dwynwen's Day is Wales' very own version of St Valentine's Day.

And just like on Valentine's Day, people exchange cards and gifts with loved ones to celebrate their love for one another.

Today, across many schools in Wales, young people have been making cards and gifts to give to family and friends.

Tell us what you've been up to today and how you will be celebrating.

Who was St Dwynwen?

It is a sad tale of a love lost.

Princess Dwynwen was one of 24 daughters of King Brychan Brycheiniog, a King of the 4th Century and lived in what is now the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.

It was said she fell in love with a local boy called Maelon, who she wished to marry - however her father had already arranged for her to be married to another man, a prince.

ST DWYNWEN'S DAY
  • A Welsh love spoon is traditionally given as a St Dwynwen's day gift.

  • Dwynwen means "she who leads a blessed life"

Why did she become Wales' patron saint of love?

Heartbroken that she could not be with the person she loved, she ran away and begged to God for help.

It is said that an angel came to visit her, and gave her a way to forget Maelon - by drinking a potion.

The potion froze Maelon into ice, frozen in time.

Princess Dwynwen was then offered three wishes. Not wishing for Maelon to suffer, she wished for him to be thawed; for God to always help those who love; and for her to never marry - not even the prince that her father had arranged.

With her wishes granted, Dwynwen became a nun and set up a convent on a tiny island on Anglesey. She never married.

Image source, Loop Images
Image caption,

A view of Llanddwyn lighthouse. St Dwynwen set up a convent on Llanddwyn Island - just off the west coast of Anglesey - the remains of which can still be seen today.