Born: 500
Born In: Caerfai Bay, Wales
Saint David
(Bishop of Mynyw During the 6th Century)
St. David was a 6th century Welsh bishop considered to be the patron saint of Wales. In spite of the fact that his date of birth remains disputed till date, a relatively large amount of information regarding his life and time is available. Much of what is known about St. David today can be found in the ‘Buchedd Dewi’, a hagiography written by Rhygyfarch in the late 11th century. Even though modern historians are skeptical of some of the claims made in the book, its author Rhygyfarch stated that it was based on documents found in the cathedral archives. He is believed to have been born to a lady of noble Irish birth living in Dyfed. His mother was a pious woman, who had shunned the worldly life in favor of a religious one. However, her beauty attracted the attention of a king who raped and impregnated her. According to traditional tales, St. David started performing miracles while still in his mother’s womb. He entered the world in the middle of a violent storm and was baptized at a young age. He grew up to be a pious and religious man and was ordained as a priest. He was active in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries. He was also famous for the extremely austere life he led and encouraged others to lead
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