Events and Celebrations
We all love celebrations don't we? So why not learn how to say it in different languages...here, you can learn them in Welsh!
This is a list of phrases that I have used in my recent video, and here, I also explain about the Welsh festivities.
Penblwydd Hapus - Happy Birthday
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda - Happy New Year
Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus - Happy St. Dwynwen's Day (*see below*)
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus - Happy St. David's Day (*see below*)
Pasg Hapus - Happy Easter
Calan Gaeaf Hapus - Happy Halloween
Nadolig Llawen - Merry Christmas
St. Dwynwen's Day:
St. Dwynwen's Day is celebrated on the 25th of January. St. Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, which makes her the Welsh equivalent to St. Valentine, who lived in the 5th century.
Dwynwen fell in love with a Prince, but her father had already made plans for her marriage, and to whom that would be. She was so heartbroken that she could not marry the Prince, that she begged God to make her forget him. In her sleep, an angel appeared before her carrying a potion that would erase Dwynwen's memory of the Prince, and turn him into a block of ice. Then, the angel gave three wishes to Dwynwen. Her first wish was to thaw the Prince, second; that God meet the dreams and the hopes of all the true lovers, and the third was the she never love again. As a mark of her gratitude, she gave her live to God.
She founded a convent in Llanddwyn, off the west coast of Anglesey, which became a place of pilgrimage after her death in 465AD. Visitors go to a well their, and it is believed that the sacred fish or eels that lived in the well could foretell whether or not their relationship would be happy and whether love and happiness would be theirs. Remains of Dwynwen's church can still be seen today.
St. David's day:
St. David's day is celebrated on the 1st March every year in honour of St. David (Dewi Sant), the patron saint of Wales. He went on many pilgrimages around the UK and the globe, but he eventually settled at Glyn Rhosyn (St David's), in south-west Wales, where he established a very strict ascetic religious community. Many miracles have been attributed to him, the most incredible of which was performed when he was preaching at the Synod of Llanddewibrefi (Yes, the only gay in the village) - he caused the ground to rise underneath him so that he could be seen and heard by all. An account of his life by a man called Rhigyfarch was written at the end of the 11th century, but how much truth is in this, is hard to tell. It must be considered that Rhigyfarch was the son of the Bishop of St David's, and that the Life was written as propaganda to establish Dewi's superiority and defend the bishopric from being taken over by Canterbury and the Normans.
On the 1st of March, it is custom to wear either a leek, or a daffodil, and these are both our national emblems, and the girls dress up (in school) in the national uniform.
So, I hope this has helped you in understanding a little more of our culture and language?
If you have any comment, please leave them below!
Thank you all - Diolch pawb!
