Yesterday (March 1) marked the day that the people of Wales celebrated their patron saint. He was born in the Sixth Century in the vicinity of St. Bride's Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He is known to have actively sought to refute and stamp out the Pelagian heresy. He also served as the Bishop of Mynyw, and several miracles have been attributed to him. It was said that he raised a dead child back to life and healed a blind man. On another occasion, while addressing a crowd, a hill was said to have formed underneath his feet and elevated him enough so that the people could hear him speak. The people of Wales associate the Daffodil with him and often wear them on his day.
Britanica's Article on Saint David
At any rate, as a person of Welsh ancestry, I am pleased to acknowledge this early pioneer of the Christian faith in the British Isles. Interestingly, my Welsh ancestors were devout Quakers who settled in Pennsylvania in the late 17th Century and early 18th Century. Indeed, the records of that sect's monthly meetings were a valuable resource in tracking this part of my ancestry. I had the opportunity to travel to Wales many years ago and was struck by the rugged beauty of the countryside. May God continue to bless the ekklesia in Wales and may the seeds that David planted so long ago continue to spread like the mustard seed in Christ's parable!
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