Denbighshire Record Office is hosting a small exhibition to celebrate St Dwynwen’s and St Valentine’s Day, which fall of 25 January and 14 February respectively. The exhibits include a handmade Valentine’s card from the late 19th Century, some romantic picture postcards from Denbigh, and a short love letter from a soldier in the 27th Lancers based in Ravenna, Italy, 1944.
Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers and lived during the 5th century. She was said to be one of 24 children fathered by the then King of Wales, Brychan Brycheiniog and was renowned for her religious faith and purity.
According to legend, Dwynwen fell in love with Maelon Dafodrill, but her father refused to consent to their marriage, instead he arranged for Dwynwen to wed another suitor. In answer to her prayers an angel came to Dwynwen in a dream, and gave her a potion to help her forget Maelon and turn him into ice.
God then granted Dwynwen three requests. Her first was to have Maelon thawed, the second was that God would look kindly on the hopes and dreams of true lovers, and her final request was that she would never marry.
There are at least three early Saints by the name of Valentine, all of whom were early martyrs: –
Valentine of Rome, a Priest who martyred in Rome during the second half of the 3rd century, and who was buried at the Via Faminia.
Valentine, Bishop of Interamma, who was martyred in the 3rd century and was also buried at Via Faminia.
The third is an obscure martyr from North Africa.
The celebration of their festival on the 14th February was established by Pope Gelasius I, around the year AD 498.
