Welshmen all over the world will to-day be celebrating the day of their national saint, St. David, and in Shanghai they will be no whit behind in the observance of the event. There is not a great deal known about St. David; very few historical facts emerge from the mystery which shrouds the age in which he lived, concerning either his life or his actions. The dates of his birth and death, even are conjectural, and it is believed that he was born somewhere around 500 A.D. and died at a good age just before the close of the sixth century. According to some biographers he was the son of Sandde, a prince of the line of Cunedda, his mother being Non, who ranks as a Cymric saint. Of the little which is known about him it seems fairly certain that he was a leading spirit in early Christianity i Wales, and it is recorded that he took a leading part in the celebrated synod of Llanddewi-Brefi and later presided over the "Synod of Victory" held at Caerleon-on-Usk. Again at some un-knowe date St. David became primate of Wales, moving the seat of ecclesiastical government from Caerleon to the remote headland of Mynyw, which, ever since, under the name of St. David's has remained the seat of the western see. He is said to have founded a large number of churches throughout Wales, whereof at the present moment over fifty still recall his name. Following his death the saint's fame grew rapidly and his shrine at St. David's became a notable place of pilgrimage, so tha! by the time of the Norman conquest his importance and sanctity were so fully recognized that on the request of Henry I, he was canonized by Pope Calixtus LI, early in the twelfth century. If little is known about their patron saint, much is known of the Welsh, and the small community in Shanghai who will to-day be thinking of their homeland and all that it means to them, will rest assured that in their rejoicing they will have the sympathy of other nationals who understand pride of race and all that it stands for.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.