Lent 2013
This week we have
celebrated the life and work of our own St David and his role, with those other
Welsh Saints of the sixth century, including our own Dyfnog.
Whilst there aren’t many facts about Dewi Sant, here are some:
- He really existed
- He was at the heart of the Welsh church in the 6th century
- He came from an aristocratic family in West Wales
- His mother was Saint Non
- His teacher was Saint Paulinus
- He founded a large monastery in west Wales
- He was one of the early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of Western Britain
- He became Archbishop of Wales, but remained in his community at Menevia
- His shrine became a great place of pilgrimage; four visits to the shrine at St David’s were considered the equivalent of two to Rome, and one to Jerusalem!
We can all be very
proud of being part of an ever developing nation here in Wales and yet
also be ready to play our own distinctive part as
Christian people in our world.
We move through Lent
towards the events of Holy Week at the end of the month, pausing next week for
Mothering Sunday.
When Easter Day arrives
we will need to find some special words to try and describe what happened on
that day – words like astonished and astounded, awestruck and amazed as it was
all so dazzling and incredible.
Michael
