Love, Actually

Pining for that special Valentine? Try praying to Saint Dwynwen, Wales's patron saint of lovers. As the legend goes, a fifth-century princess fell in love with a prince whom her father forbade her from marrying. Then, in a dream, an angel gave Dwynwen a potion to ease her heartache —...

By Jessica Centers

January 25, 2007

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Pining for that special Valentine? Try praying to Saint Dwynwen, Wales's patron saint of lovers. As the legend goes, a fifth-century princess fell in love with a prince whom her father forbade her from marrying. Then, in a dream, an angel gave Dwynwen a potion to ease her heartache — but when the prince drank the same potion, he turned into ice. Given three wishes, Dwynwen asked that the prince be thawed, that she never fall in love again and that God answer her prayers on behalf of true lovers. Her wishes granted, she started a convent on a small island. A well there is still a site of pilgrimage for the hopeful and heartbroken.

"I don't know about turning that guy into ice, but she was a historic figure," says Edie Stone of the Colorado Welsh Society.

The group's Dwynwen's Day Welsh Fest includes music, poetry, folk dance, potluck and Mari Lwyd — a Celtic tradition involving a battle of wits with a wassailing horse's head. Although the Welsh tend to celebrate Dwynwen at the pub, this free party takes place tonight at Washington Park United Church of Christ, 400 South Williams Street, starting at 6 p.m. Visit http://home.att.net/~coloradowelsh for details.
Sat., Jan. 27, 6 p.m.

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