St Dwynwen's Day - Dydd Santes Dwynwen

St Dwynwen's Day

Santes Dwynwen or St Dwynwen's Day is the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers and is Wales' own version of St Valentine’s Day and is celebrated each 25th January in Wales (3 weeks before Valentine’s Day). In 2023, it is on Wednesday 25^th January and is the most romantic day in the Welsh calendar. St Dwynwen's Day is celebrated with the giving and receiving of cards and presents and by saying "I Love you" in Welsh, "Rwy'n dy garu di". You can show your proud Welsh heritage and point of difference by celebrating St Dwynwen's Day as opposed to Valentine's Day!!

What is Happy St Dwynwen's Day in Welsh?

It is "Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus"!

St Dwynwen's Day, 25th January, the Welsh patron saint of lovers — Saint Dwynwen's Day, 25th January, the Welsh Patron Saint for lovers - More "**All about Wales Articles", click here...**

Celebration Days and Festivals in Wales

Here is a short list of celebration days and festivals in Wales. All these days are listed on the "Celebration Days Wales" page below.

All About Wales

Celebration Days Wales

Cilmeri Day

Dylan Thomas Day

New Years Day 13th January

Owain Glyndŵr Day

St. David's Day

St. Dwynwen's Day

Who was Santes Dwynwen?

Her name, Dwynwen means "she who leads a blessed life". Her home was in what is now the Brecon Beacons National Park area of Wales. She lived during the 5th century and was, according to legend one of, if not the prettiest of Brychan Brycheiniog's twenty-four to thirty-six daughters, yes 24 to 36, depending on which story you believe. Anyway, the story is that Dwynwen fell in love with a guy called Prince Maelon Dyfodrill, but her father had already promised that she should marry someone else. Dwynwen fell asleep and was visited by an angel who appeared carrying a sweet potion designed to erase all memory of Maelon and turn him into an ice block.

Santes Dwynwen | St Dwynwen's Day - Welsh Valentine's Day - Llanddwyn Island - Anglesey - Ynys Mon

Distraught, Dwynwen fled to the woods, where she pleaded with God to make her forget Maelon. God responded to Dwynwen’s grief and then granted her three wishes. Firstly, she wished that Maelon be thawed, secondly that God meet the hopes and dreams of true lovers and third that she should never marry. All three of her wishes were fulfilled and to give her thanks Dwynwen devoted herself to God's service for the rest of her life. She became a nun who founded a convent on Ynys Llanddwyn (Llanddwyn Island) on the west coast of Ynys Mon, the island of Anglesey.

Llanddwyn Island and St Dwynwen

Llanddwyn is a tidal island is near to the village of Niwbwrch (Newborough) and the beautiful Newborough Forest, situated off the West coast of Anglesey. The views are spectacular: across the water, the peaks of Snowdonia rise up from the Menai Strait and the Llŷn Peninsula points all the way to Ireland, whose Wicklow hills can be seen on a clear day. So maybe it is unsurprising that the island is also the setting for one of Wales’ greatest love stories.

St Dwynwen and Ynys Llanddwyn - Llanddwyn Island - Llanddwyn and Newborough Beaches - Menai Strait in the distance

In 1879, a plain cross was erected in St Dwynwen’s memory, followed by the Celtic cross in 1903.

St Dwynwen died in 465AD and on Llanddwyn Island (Ynys Llanddwyn) a well was named after her as a place of pilgrimage. Visitors to the well believed the sacred fish that lived in the well could predict whether or not their relationship would be happy. When visiting and looking into the well if the fish is seen swimming around and lively then it is a sign of a faithful and devoted husband! Besides from the well, there is also Crochan Llanddwyn, meaning Llanddwyn’s cauldron, which is a small wishing well that is located between Llanddwyn Island and Newborough. According to folklore, if the water of the well boils while visitors are present, love and good luck will follow.