St David is important to us because St. David's Parish Church Stanwell is one of the parishes we serve. 

St David's last words have become famous

St David’s last words to his followers are recorded as:

"Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do."

“Do the little things” is a well-known phrase in Wales. It suggests that the small actions we take in life can be just as significant for ourselves and others as the big ones. At St Michaels' we try to do the little things to ensure that we are living by St. David's example.

Feastday: March 1

Who was St David? 

According to tradition, St. David was the son of King Sant of South Wales and St. Non.

He was ordained a priest and later studied under St. Paulinus. Later, he was involved in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries.

The monastery he founded at Menevia in Southwestern Wales was noted for extreme asceticism. David and his monks drank neither wine nor beer - only water - while putting in a full day of heavy manual labor and intense study.

Around the year 550, David attended a synod at Brevi in Cardiganshire. His contributions at the synod are said to have been the major cause for his election as primate of the Cambrian Church. He was reportedly consecrated archbishop by the patriarch of Jerusalem while on a visit to the Holy Land.

He also is said to have invoked a council that ended the last vestiges of Pelagianism. David died at his monastery in Menevia around the year 589, and his cult was approved in 1120 by Pope Callistus II.

He is revered as the patron of Wales. Undoubtedly, St. David was endowed with substantial qualities of spiritual leadership. What is more, many monasteries flourished as a result of his leadership and good example. His staunch adherence to monastic piety bespeaks a fine example for modern Christians seeking order and form in their prayer life. His feast day is March 1.

Prayer to St David

God our Father, you gave the bishop David to the Welsh Church to uphold the faith and to be an example of Christian perfection. In this changing world may he help us to hold fast to the values which bring eternal life.

Amen