David's life and teachings have inspired a choral work by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, Dewi Sant. It is a seven-movement work best known for the classical crossover series Adiemus, which intersperses movements reflecting the themes of David's last sermon with those drawing from three Psalms. An oratorio by another Welsh composer Arwel Hughes, also entitled Dewi Sant, was composed in 1950. In the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology, David is listed under 1 March with the Latin name Dávus. He is recognised as bishop of Menevia in Wales who governed his monastery following the example of the Eastern Fathers. Through his leadership, many monks went forth to evangelise Wales, Ireland, Cornwall and Armorica (Brittany and surrounding provinces). [12]

The Monastic Rule of David prescribed that monks had to pull the plough themselves without draught animals, [5] and must drink only water and eat only bread with salt and herbs. [8] The monks spent their evenings in prayer, reading and writing. No personal possessions were allowed: even to say "my book" was considered an offence. He lived a simple life and practised asceticism, teaching his followers to refrain from eating meat and drinking beer. His symbol, also the symbol of Wales, is the leek (this inspires a reference in Shakespeare's Henry V, Act V scene 1): David's popularity in Wales is shown by the Armes Prydein of around 930, a popular poem which prophesied that in the future, when all might seem lost, the Cymry ( Welsh people) would unite behind the standard of David to defeat the English; " A lluman glân Dewi a ddyrchafant" ("And they will raise the pure banner of Dewi"). Many of the traditional tales about David are found in the Buchedd Dewi ("Life of David"), a hagiography written by Rhygyfarch in the late 11th century. Rhygyfarch claimed it was based on documents found in the cathedral archives. Modern historians are sceptical of some of its claims: one of Rhygyfarch's aims was to establish some independence for the Welsh church, which had refused the Roman rite until the 8th century and now sought a metropolitan status equal to that of Canterbury (this may apply to the supposed pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he is said to have been anointed as an archbishop by the patriarch).Saint David is also thought to be associated with corpse candles, lights that would warn of the imminent death of a member of the community. The story goes that David prayed for his people to have some warning of their death, so that they could prepare themselves. In a vision, David's wish was granted and told that from then on, people who lived in the land of Dewi Sant (Saint David) "would be forewarned by the dim light of mysterious tapers when and where the death might be expected". The colour and size of the tapers indicated whether the person to die would be a woman, man, or child. [16] See also Poem by the poet, Rhys Iorwerth. Easy to follow sections: The community, the workplace, education and the family. Cerdd gan y Prifardd Rhys Iorwerth. Adrannau: Y gymuned, y gweithle, addysg ar teulu St David is said to have founded a monastery as a young man around the year 560 near to where he was born. The area - in Pembrokeshire - is now known as St David's. David is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival and on the Episcopal Church liturgical calendar on 1 March. [14] [15] Reputation A stained glass window at St Non's Chapel, St David's a b c Toke, Leslie (1908). "St. David". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Suicide is a devastating event, which, in the setting of the UK, is often related to mental illness. However, while it is important to treat people with mental illness to avoid preventable deaths, there are limitations to how effective this can be in reducing the total number of suicides. Having worked in mental health for 42 years, I have seen the announcement of many breakthroughs in treatment. New medications, genetic advances and novel approaches like transcranial magnetic stimulation have all been subject to extravagant claims. None of them has delivered the promised transformation of mental health care. Doing the small things has a role to play in treating mental illness too. Medication and therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy have roles to play in helping people to recover from mental illness. However, they are not so effective that they are always enough on their own. They are likely to work best when they happen in the context of a trusting relationship with a doctor.

Evans, Daniel Simon, ed. (1988). The Welsh Life of St. David. University of Wales Press. ISBN 978-0-7083-0995-7. David is said to have played a role in spreading Christianity on the continent, inspiring numerous place names in Brittany including Saint-Divy, Saint-Yvi and Landivy.

The Cathedral in St Davids, Pembrokeshire is home to his shrine. St Davids is Britain’s smallest city, with a population of roughly 1,600 – that’s roughly just 4% of capital Cardiff’s population. Additional fact for you, the tenor Dewi Sant bell in the cathedral weights 2,700lbs. In 2007 Tony Blair rejected calls for St. David’s Day to become a Welsh national holiday, despite a poll saying that 87% of Welsh people wanted a March 1 holiday.

When patients are surveyed about what they value in a doctor, human qualities consistently outrank technical abilities. Research supports the idea that relationship factors are important in medicine. This applies across the whole of health care, to medication and physiotherapy as much as it does to psychotherapy. Evans, J. Wyn; Wooding, Jonathan M. (2007). St David of Wales: Cult, Church and Nation. Boydell Press. p.1. ISBN 9781843833222.

David was known as Dewi Dyfrwr - meaning David the Waterdrinker - because of his diet of bread and water. Even meat and beer were off the menu. His most famous miracle though, took place in Llanddewi Brefi, between the Brecon Beacons and the coastal town of Aberystwyth. Overwhelmed by a crowd that came to his sermon, St David stood upon a handkerchief an it's said a small hill grew beneath his feet, meaning he could be seen by all.

Breakthroughs

The restored Shrine of Saint David was unveiled and rededicated by the Right Reverend Wyn Evans, Bishop of St David's, at a Choral Eucharist on Saint David's Day, 2012. Roberts, Holly. (2004). Vegetarian Christian Saints. Anjeli Press. p. 131. ISBN 0-9754844-0-0 "David and his fellow members within this community believed hard manual labor was the duty of all, thus preferring not to use cattle to help them plow the fields. They resolved to maintain a diet of bread and vegetables, with just a sprinkling of salt, so as not to inflict unnecessary suffering upon any creature by taking its life for food." The Praise of Saint Davids day. / Shewing the Reason why the Welshmen honour the Leeke on that day. To the tune of When this Old Cap was new. (?1630). Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2021-07-28 08:03:56 Associated-names Gruffudd, Ffion Heledd, editor Boxid IA40194523 Camera Sony Alpha-A6300 (Control) Collection_set printdisabled External-identifier