St. David of Wales (P 001), His Flag, and Leeks Ceramic Ornament

Front: Saint David (or Dewi Sant in Welsh; c. 542-c. 601) was archbishop of Mynyw, Wales, during the 6th century. + Here, St. David, clad in episcopal garb and carrying his crosier, is accompanied by his principal attribute the Holy Spirit in the guise of a dove. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the archbishop is emblematic of St. David’s authority to teach and preach. + Behind St. David is his flag. The Flag of Saint David (or Baner Dewi Sant in Welsh) consists of a yellow cross on a black field. Though similar to the arms of the diocese over which St. David presided, his flag was not in widespread usage as a patriotic symbol prior to 1994 when it was heavily promoted by a clothier. In the years since, it has gained in popularity and has been widely adopted as an alternative to the Red Dragon, the official flag of Wales. + Back: St. David founded numerous monasteries in Britain and Brittany (western coastal France) which adhered to an austere rule based in part on practices of the Desert Fathers of Egypt. The Monastic Rule of St. David stipulated that farming be done without draught animals--the monks pulling ploughs themselves; that meals be vegetarian with bread (with salt and herbs) and water--no meat nor alcoholic beverages allowed and fish being served only on special occasions; that goods be held in common--no personal possessions whatsoever being permitted; and that evenings be spent in prayer, reading, and writing. The diet prescribed gave rise to St. David's nickname "the Water Drinker" and his patronage of vegans and vegetarians. + While the leeks here are an allusion to his dietary regimen, the leek is also the personal emblem of St. David and a national emblem of Wales. Tradition tells us that St. David had his Welsh soldiers who were fighting off Saxon invaders affix a leek to their helmets to aid in distinguishing friend from foe. The leek is worn in Wales on St. David’s Day (March 1). + Image Credit (P 001): Figure extracted from an antique image of St. David of Wales from a late 19th-century devotional print in chromoxylography, originally published by Friedrich Pustet, Regensburg, New York, and Cincinnati. From the designer’s private collection of religious ephemera. + Image Credit (Flag of St. David): Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons. + Image Credit (Leeks): Public Domain. Extracted from an undivided back postcard, 1907-1915. From the designer’s private collection.