Dyfrig (Dubricius)

St Dyfrig, , 18 Oct. 2007
Photo © Martin Crampin

Click to show suggested citation for this record

Martin Crampin and David Parsons (eds), The Cult of the Saints in Wales, University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth, (2023)
https://saints.wales/saint/5 (accessed 24 Nov. 2024)

The Life of Dubricius was written for the Book of Llandaff in around 1120, in support of Bishop Urban's claim that the saint had been the first archbishop of Llandaff. His relics were brought to Llandaff from Bardsey Island in 1120. He is usually known in the Welsh form Dyfrig, and has been remembered among the patrons of Llandaff Cathedral since that time, although signs of his earlier cult are linked more closely to parts of Ergyng in Herefordshire.

More information

Feast Day: Anhysbys/unknown

The death of Dyfrig is given as 14 November in the Latin Life. The date of his translation from Bardsey is given as 7 May, and his reception in Llandaff on 23 May.

Texts

The Vita S. Dubricii does not include extensive details about the saint, and records various grants of land to him, or more probably to the diocese of Llandaff after his death. According to the Life he was consecrated archbishop 'over all the Britons of the southern part of Britain' after the eradication of the the Pelagian heresy.

He is mentioned in other Latin Lives of the saints of south Wales, including the Life of Samson, which is much earlier than all of the other Lives of the Welsh saints. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Dyfrig was archbishop of Caerleon, before relinquishing his position and retiring to Bardsey, appointing David in his place. His succession by David is alluded to in writings about David.

Although Dyfrig is well attested in the Latin Lives, he is conspicuous by his absence in Welsh-language tradition.

Vita S. Dubricii

Historia Regum Britanniae

Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain was an influential mid-twelfth century history of the Britons and the foundation of much Arthurian romance.

Awdl-gywydd i Ddewi Sant

Short poem in praise of David by Lewys Glyn Cothi, mid–late fifteenth century.

Places

The best evidence for medieval church dedications to Dyfrig relates to four churches in Herefordshire, Hentland, Llanwarne, Madley and Moccas. Whether this Dyfrig was the same as the Dyfrig who was a bishop in the Life of Samson cannot be definitively ascertained. In addition to his association with Llandaff, which appears to be the result of Bishop Urban's twelfth-century propaganda, there is little evidence for his cult elsewhere in Wales. Church dedications to Dyfrig at Gwenddwr and Llanfaches are of doubtful antiquity, and a holy well at Llancarfan, near the monastery of Cadog, is not attested until the nineteenth century.