Google Doodle commemorates St David’s Day 2024: Celebrating the patron saint of Wales

Google Doodle celebrates Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant, also known as St David’s Day, with Welsh symbols like the red dragon, daffodils and leeks.

The doodle, created by the artist Celine You, sketched out the design on wood before burning the markings to outline and finishing it off with paint.

The doodle is inspired by the legend of Dinas Emrys, where two dragons, one red and one white, were asleep in an underground lake under a king’s castle. They were both awoken and started to fight each other, but the red dragon came out victorious and became a symbol of Welsh pride, according to Wales.com.

Another addition to how the dragon iconography came to be is the Arthurian legend of young Merlin, who foresaw a battle between a red and white dragon, believing it to symbolise the fight against the Saxons.

Many also show that they’re proud to be Welsh by wearing a leek or a daffodil, both of which are also national symbols of Wales. Cities and towns across Wales will hold parades or festivals today, with some of the largest in Cardiff and Swansea.

St David’s Day celebrates the Welsh patron saint, St David. While little is known about this elusive saint, according to a Latin manuscript written by the medieval poet and biographer Rhygyfarch, the saint died in the year 589 on 1 March, according to Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales).

It is traditionally thought his father was Sant, the son of Ceredig, King of Ceredigion. After being educated in Cardiganshire, he started on a pilgrimage through south Wales and the west of England, in which he founded monastic settlements and churches, including in Glastonbury and Croyland.

After going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he settled at Glyn Rhosyn and founded a very strict religious community.

St David and his monks lived a very simple and austere life, ploughing fields by hand, and stayed away from consuming meat or drinking beer. It is also believed that St David only ate leeks and drank water, VisitWales says.

According to Rhygyfarch’s manuscript, St David performed many miracles while he was preaching, such as causing the ground to rise underneath him to lift him up, so the large crowd could hear and see him talk.

However, how accurate Rhygyfarch was is up to debate, as his father was the Bishop of St Davids, so his manuscript could have potentially been written as propaganda.

The Welsh government has asked people worldwide to do “something small to brighten someone else’s day” while they celebrate their national day.

As part of the St David’s Day celebrations, the government has also launched a year-long initiative to organise events throughout the year to strengthen ties with India.

Called “Wales in India”, the government will put on events celebrating links with India in art and culture, education, health, business and human rights.

They hope that the initiative will foster new trade and investment opportunities, cultural and sporting connections and collaboration in academic and healthcare.

St David’s last words that he spoke in a sermon to his followers have also had a lasting effect throughout the centuries. “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do,” it is thought he said.

The phrase “Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd” – “Do the little things in life” – remains a well-known motto in Wales to this day.