It is a very celebrated day for the Welsh where tribute is paid to a character remembered with affection and admiration. David was a saint who lived a whopping 100 years and who founded several churches. Later archbishop, half a century after his death he was canonized and considered the patron saint of the country. Do you want to know more about When is St David’s Day in Wales 2022 and how is it celebrated? Let’s see.
When is St David’s Day in Wales 2022
The March 1st is the date you should write down on your calendar if you want to keep in mind when is St David’s Day in Wales in 2022 and sign up for the popular celebrations that take place in the country. It has been celebrated since the 12th century, when the archbishop was canonized by Pope Calixtus II.
If you like to travel and have visited or seen places in Wales, surely you know St. David’s Cathedral. Well, right where the current temple is located, it was where the saint founded a monastic community, specifically in the Valley of the Roses. David was followed by the Christians, but also by the Celts, attracted by his ascetic philosophy.
It should be noted that, although for the Welsh this is a very important and festive day, however, it is not a public holiday for the English. In fact, in the past there were conflicts between the Welsh and the English over this celebration. March 1 was chosen for the commemoration because it is believed that it was on this date that the saint died.
Another curiosity is that in England, the customs of confectioneries preparing gingerbread cookies with the figure of a Welshman riding on the back of a goat spread on this day.
Saint Savid’s Day Celebrations in Wales 2022
Saint David’s Day is not a new festival, but as we have seen at the beginning, it has been celebrated since the 12th century. But it continues to be done with honors and, after all, with the desire to enjoy what the event offers. It is common to find a Welshman wearing a pin with a daffodil flower on his clothes or, more strikingly, with a leek. The day’s agenda is tight, because there is mass in homage to the Saint, the balconies wave the country’s national flag and different cultural activities are organized such as readings, recitals and even a parade.
Food also deserves a special section, as we will see later, because families gather around a good table where dishes prepared following the typical products of the country are served, such as leeks.
It is also not uncommon for children in schools to dress in regional costumes to have a festive day remembering the historical event.
Typical dishes for Saint David’s Day in Wales
On Saint David’s Day, typical dishes of the country are served, such as welsh rarebit, a toast with a very tasty sauce made of cheese that is eaten hot; Besides the soup or Cawlthe lamb and, for dessert, the bara brith cake.
Starting with the cawl soup, it is the best known Welsh dish. It is nothing but a lamb stew with leeks. It is a very thick soup but with hardly any fat and where, sometimes, the lamb is replaced by the meat of young sheep, less than a year old, always looking for a tender and fat-free meat. It is used as a dish where the vegetables and meat that we have left over from other dishes are added. And tradition dictates that the guido must be made in an iron pot over a fire. Apart from this traditional recipe, there are those who decide to modify the dish and prefer to bet on pork, veal or ham, giving it their peculiar personal touch.
Lamb can also be served as a side dish. For example, one roast leg of lamb with honey and ginger. The dressing that is usually added to the dish is rosemary, another typical product of the area.
Finally we arrive at the dessert where we can taste the exquisite bara brith cake. A sweet bread with raisins, orange peel and sometimes apple. Due to the raisins, this fluffy bread is also known as “stained bread” and, more popularly, as “black Welsh cake”. It is such a traditional sweet that for years it was customary for the bride and groom to get married, include one of these cakes in their wedding cake. They had to keep it in a can and, every month of the first year of marriage, eat a piece. It symbolized that both were overcoming the difficulties that a couple usually goes through during their first years of living together.
The Dewi Sant or Cardiff Parade
At noon in Cardiff there will be a traditional street parade. Who joins the party wears daffodils and leeks. But why do they do it? This is because David warned the Welsh of an impending battle against the Saxons and advised them to carry daffodils and leeks with them to differentiate themselves from their enemies in combat. That way they could save their lives. Since then, the leek is the national symbol of Wales.
There are live music and parade of Giants representing great Welsh personalities. A day to enjoy being a patriot or, just, letting yourself be infected by the staff’s desire to party. It’s hard to resist!
Do you know when Yule is celebrated? We tell you: