Welsh Blankets
Santes Dwynwen Day - Saint Dwynwen Day
Dydd Santes Dwynwen - Santes Dwynwen Day 2024
Dydd Santes Dwynwen or Saint Dwynwen Day is the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers and is Wales' own version of St Valentine’s Day. It is celebrated each 25th January in Wales (3 weeks before Valentine’s Day). It is the most romantic day in the Welsh calendar. Dydd Santes Dwynwen is celebrated with the giving and receiving of cards and presents. A Santes Dwynwen card saying "Rwy'n dy garu di" means "I Love you" in Welsh, . You can show your proud Welsh heritage and point of difference by celebrating Santes Dwynwen Day as opposed to Valentine's Day!!
Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus
Happy Saint Dwynwen's Day in Welsh is "Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus"!
Celebration Days and Festivals in Wales
Here is a short list of celebration days and festivals in Wales. All these days are listed on the "Celebration Days in Wales" page below.
Santes Dwynwen Story
Who was Santes Dwynwen?
Her name, Dwynwen means "she who leads a blessed life". Her home was in what is now the Brecon Beacons National Park area of Wales. She lived during the 5th century and was, according to legend one of, if not the prettiest of Brychan Brycheiniog's twenty-four to thirty-six daughters, yes 24 to 36, depending on which story you believe.
Anyway, the story is that Dwynwen fell in love with a guy called Prince Maelon Dyfodrill, but her father had already promised that she should marry someone else. Dwynwen fell asleep and was visited by an angel who appeared carrying a sweet potion designed to erase all memory of Maelon and turn him into an ice block.
Distraught, Dwynwen fled to the woods, where she pleaded with God to make her forget Maelon. God responded to Dwynwen’s grief and then granted her three wishes. Firstly, she wished that Maelon be thawed, secondly that God meet the hopes and dreams of true lovers and third that she should never marry. All three of her wishes were fulfilled and to give her thanks Dwynwen devoted herself to God's service for the rest of her life. She became a nun who founded a convent on Ynys Llanddwyn (Llanddwyn Island) on the west coast of Ynys Mon, the island of Anglesey.
Llanddwyn Island and Santes Dwynwen
Llanddwyn is a tidal island is near to the village of Niwbwrch (Newborough) and the beautiful Newborough Forest, situated off the West coast of Anglesey. The views are spectacular: across the water, the peaks of Snowdonia rise up from the Menai Strait and the Llŷn Peninsula points all the way to Ireland, whose Wicklow hills can be seen on a clear day. So maybe it is unsurprising that the island is also the setting for one of Wales’ greatest love stories.
In 1879, a plain cross was erected in Santes Dwynwen’s memory, followed by the Celtic cross in 1903.
Santes Dwynwen died in 465AD and on Llanddwyn Island (Ynys Llanddwyn) a well was named after her as a place of pilgrimage. Visitors to the well believed the sacred fish that lived in the well could predict whether or not their relationship would be happy. When visiting and looking into the well if the fish is seen swimming around and lively then it is a sign of a faithful and devoted husband! Besides from the well, there is also Crochan Llanddwyn, meaning Llanddwyn’s cauldron, which is a small wishing well that is located between Llanddwyn Island and Newborough. According to folklore, if the water of the well boils while visitors are present, love and good luck will follow.
Santes Dwynwen Day - Llanddwyn Island Map (sat nav postcode LL61 6SG)
Llanddwyn is a tidal island in the south west of Anglesey. Anglesey (Ynys Môn) is Wales' largest island, off the north west coast of Wales.
About FelinFach
Located in Pembrokeshire Wales, our ethos is defined in the three words...
NATURAL TRADITIONAL HANDMADE.
- Hand woven iconic Welsh blankets.
- Hand dyed yarn, dyed with natural dyes only - no exceptions!
- Hand poured candles, candle accessories, Candle Making Workshops and soapery.
- Natural Dyeing Craft courses.
- Yarn shop, yarn bowls, project bags, tools and accessories for knitters and crafters.
- Welsh Gifts, made in Wales, handmade in Wales.
We are a proud supporter of Americymru the Campaign for Wool, Global Welsh and Red Dragon America.
Other FelinFach Pages
Last updated 4th September 2024
