St. David of Wales

The year of St. David's birth is uncertain, but according to tradition, he was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non. He was ordained a priest and studied under St. Paulinus. Later, he was involved in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries.

The monastery he founded at Menevia in Southwestern Wales was noted for extreme asceticism. David and his monks drank neither wine nor beer - only water - while putting in a full day of heavy manual labor and intense study. Around the year 550, David attended a synod at Brevi in Cardiganshire. His contributions at the synod are said to have been the major cause for his election as primate of the Cambrian Church. He was reportedly consecrated archbishop by the patriarch of Jerusalem while on a visit to the Holy Land. He also is said to have invoked a council that ended the last vestiges of Pelagianism.

David died at his monastery in Menevia around the year 589, and he is revered as the patron of Wales. His feast day is March 1.