Happy St Dwynwen's day

No I'm not doing this to annoy the Scots, happy Burn's day and all!!

Anyway today is St Dwynwen day who is the Welsh patron saint of lovers- so a Welsh St Valentine.

According to the legend Dwynwen who lived during the 5th century ( and was known to be the prettiest of Brychan Brycheiniog's 24 daughters!!) fell in love with Maelon Dafodrill, and they wanted to marry, but her father refused consent as he had arranged for Dwynwen to wed another.

In his anger about the rejection, Maelon raped and left Dwynwen.(- not a nice man then!!) 

Dwynwen's sadness impels her to console herself in the woods nearby. There she prays to God to rid her of her feelings for Maelon. Answering her prayers, an angel comes to Dwynwen in a dream, and gives her a potion to help her forget Maelon, and turn him into ice. 

God then grants Dwynwen three wishes. The first was to have Maelon thawed, the second was that God would look kindly on the hopes and dreams of true lovers, and her final request was that she was never to marry. Her wishes became true, and as thanks she devoted the remainder of her life to God.

Dwynwen then became a nun and she settled on Llanddwyn Island, which rests off the west coast of Anglesey. She died of natural causes around 460AD. 

The island to this day is a pilgrimage site for lovers and on it lies a well which it is thought if its water boils when you look upon it then you will be lucky in love!

So after that brief lesson, I wish you all "Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen Hapus". May you be filled with love today!

BNM

xx