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Why Santes Dwynwen is not just a ‘Welsh St. Valentine’

Though often called the ‘Welsh St. Valentine’, Santes Dwynwen’s story is uniquely heartbreaking, full of faith and resilience, and deserves recognition beyond this comparison.  

 

Who is Dwynwen

Legend says that Dwynwen lived in the 5th Century and was the most beautiful daughter of King Brychan Brycheiniog. Though versions of her story differ, the key theme remains the same.

 Dwynwen was in love with Maelon; however, her father had already betrothed her to another. In some versions, Maelon reacted aggressively to the rejection. Heartbroken, Dwynwen sought comfort in prayer. (Stephens,2005) An angel appeared and offered her a potion that would help her forget Maelon, but it also froze him. The angel then offered Dwynwen three wishes.

The first was to unfreeze Maelon as this was never her intention. The second and most important reason she is celebrated is that she wished that true love always finds happiness. Lastly, she wished to remain unmarried, and so she became a nun traveling Wales until settling on Ynys LLanddwyn off Ynys Môn. (Price, 1848)

 

Ynys Llanddwyn and Pilgrimage

A church was built in her honor here to cater to the large number of people pilgrimaging to the island during the Middle Ages. The ruins and holy well can still be seen today. The well is said to hold magical powers, with its fish believed to predict the outcome of romantic relationships. There are some accounts of people seeking the well for its healing properties as well. (Good,2025)

Dwynwen was also a patron of more than one thing. She was also the saint of sick animals, and it is believed that some would pilgrimage to the island for this reason especially farmers, who saw her as a protector of sick livestock, vital for farming communities of Wales.

Dwynwen's story is heartbreaking but her faith and devotion to God have led to her veneration and hundreds of years of worship. This devotion continued throughout this period with a poem by Dafydd ap Gwilym written in the 14th century and calendars from the 15th century included this celebration. (Miles,2024)

The 19th century saw a rise in the interest and promotion of many different aspects of Welsh culture, and this is no different with Dwynwen. A rise in attention to Ynys Llanddwyn as her site of worship led to a cross being erected here with a later large Celtic cross here in 1903. Ynys Llanddwyn remains a popular site for people to visit not only on the 25th but all year round for its natural beauty and history.

 

In recent years the celebration of Santes Dwynwen on January 25th has gained momentum as more companies participate in the promotional opportunity.  This reflects the increase in the appreciation of Welsh culture and traditions. This celebration will never become bigger than St Valentine's Day however I hope the comparison is not all people know. She is more than just a name associated with romantic love but love in all forms, community, faith, and resilience. Through celebrating this unique Welsh saint we can connect more with our rich Celtic heritage.


References 

Cadw Heroes and Heroines of Wales. Llywodraeth Cymru.

 Celtic Saints.2017. Available at: https://celticsaints.org/2011/0125a.html

Good,L.2025. Who was Santes Dwynwen?The Legened of the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers. BBCHistory Magazine.

Miles,C. 2024. Santes Dwynwen:Getting to the Heart of the Welsh Patron Saint pf Lovers. Nation Cymru.

Price,T. 1848. Iolo Manuscripts:A selection of Ancient Welsh Manuscripts. Longman and Company.

Stephens,C. 2005. Santes Dwynwen. Llandysul:Gomer

 

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