January 25th marks a tradition in Wales that sees people celebrate Valentine's Day early. It's a day when couples are encouraged to gift presents, cards, and even love spoons. But why January 25th, and what links does this day have with Brecon?
On the 25th of January, Saint Dwynwen's Day arrives to mark Welsh Valentine's day. Saint Dwynwen is known as the Welsh patron saint of love, but her experience with love isn't the luckiest.
She was a fourth-century princess, and lived in what is now known as the Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons National Park. She was one of 24 daughters of King Brychan Brycheiniog, and she fell in love with a man known as Maelon Dafodrill. Her father didn't like this as he had arranged for Dwynwen to marry another man. When Maelon found out that Dwynwen was to marry another, he was said to be distraught, and Dwynwen fled to the woods to cry and call for the help of god. An angel visited Dwynwen and gave her a potion to forget Maelon, and upon taking it Maelon turned into a block of ice.
Dwynwen was then granted three wishes, and she asked for Maelon to be thawed, her second for God to help all true lovers, and her final wish was that she would never marry. She became a nun, and moved herself to the remote Llanddwyn Island in Anglesey.
Now, a monument is erected on the island, with a cross visited by many tourists throughout the year. A few feet away from the cross is St Dwynwen's Church. On the island is Dwynwen's Well, which supposedly contains eels that can predict if your relationship is going to be a success.