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The Principality of Wales (Cymru) is part of the United Kingdom and has a strong national identity. The Welsh national anthem Cwm Rhondda Some Welsh words and phrases A Welsh legend: Gelert Christianity in Wales The Lord’s Prayer in Welsh Psalm 100 in Welsh A Welsh prayer (in English!) Traditional Welsh tunes

This national song was first sung at the famous Llangollen Eisteddfod of 1858 and is now regarded as having the status of a National Anthem. It is also sung in Brittany as a National Anthem in the Breton translation.

HEN WLAD FY NHADAU
LAND OF MY FATHERS (click to hear the tune)

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi, The land of my fathers is dear unto me, Gwlad beirdd a chantorion enwogion o fri; Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free; Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad, Its warring defenders, so gallant and brave, Tros ryddid collasant eu gwaed. For freedom their life’s blood they gave. Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i’m gwlad. Home, home, true am I to home. Tra mor yn fur i’r bur hoff bau, While seas secure the land so pure, O bydded i’r heniaith barhau. O may the old language endure.

Welsh words: Evan James
English translation: WS Gwynn Williams
Melody: James James

Cwm Rhondda is one of the "classics" of the Welsh hymn tradition. The tune is by John Hughes, Dowlais (1873 - 1932). The words are by Wales' most prolific hymn writer, William Williams Pantycelyn (1717 - 1791). It is sung, not only in churches, but at rugby matches!

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but thou art mighty; Hold me with thy powerful hand. Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven, Feed me now and evermore, Feed me now and evermore. Open thou the crystal fountain Whence the healing stream shall flow; Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey through. Strong Deliverer, Strong Deliverer, Be Thou still my strength and shield, Be Thou still my strength and shield. When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside; Death of death and Hell's destruction, Land me safe on Canaan's side. Songs of praises, Songs of praises, I will ever give to thee, I will ever give to Thee.

Most Welsh people use English, but 18.5% (500,000) of the population speak Welsh.

Despite its formidable appearance to the uninitiated, Welsh is a language whose spelling is entirely regular and phonetic, so that once you know the rules, you can learn to read it and pronounce it without too much difficulty. For young children learning to read, Welsh provides far fewer difficulties than does English, as the latter's many inconsistencies in spelling are not found in Welsh.

For the following words and phrases the phonetic pronunciation is in brackets:

Croeso i Gymru (Crois-or ee Kumree) = Welcome to Wales

Bore da (bore-rare daa) = Good morning

Nos da (nos daa) = Good night

Diolch yn fawr (dee-all'ch un vow'r) = Thank you very much
The 'ch' is pronounced as in the German 'Bach'

Ydw (udoo) = Yes

Nac ydw (nag udoo) = No

Prince Llywelyn once received a greyhound from King John, and the hound soon became his favorite. Faithful as any hound had ever been, and gentle as a lamb, the hound was also a lion at the chase. One day, Llywelyn prepared to leave on the hunt, he gave call to his noble hound with his hunting horn. All his other hounds came at the call, but not his faithful Gelert. Llywelyn could wait no longer, and so left on his hunt.

When Llywelyn returned to his castle, who should be waiting to greet him but Gelert! As the hound bounded closer to greet him, Llywelyn was startled to notice that Gelert's lips and fangs were covered with blood. Now Price Llywelyn had a son, barely a year old, and as Llywelyn recalled how Gelert and his young son used to play together, a terrible thought came to his mind. He rushed to his son's nursery, only to find the cradle overturned and the sheets covered in blood. Llywelyn looked frantically for his son, but couldn't find him anywhere, only the evidence of much blood and a struggle within the nursery. Turning to Gelert, whose muzzle was still wet with blood, Llywelyn came into a great rage and cried, "Thou hast killed my only son!", and drew his sword and drove it into the side of the hound. Gelert yelped once and with a sorrowful look into Llywelyn's eyes, died at his master's feet.

At the sound of Gelert's last yelp, there was a small cry from beneath the overturned cradle. When Llywelyn righted it, who should he find beneath it but his small son, safe and unharmed, and as well the torn and bloodied body of a huge wolf. Too late Llywelyn discovered what had really happened while he was away. Gelert had stayed behind to guard the child, and had fought and slain the wolf that had crept into the nursery.

In vain was Llywelyn's grief, for he could not revive his faithful hound. He erected a tomb in the valley in honor of his friend, calling it 'Bedd Gelert' or the 'Grave of Gelert', the namesake of the town Beddgelert, in northern Wales.

The Christian faith entered Wales with the Romans in the second and third centuries AD, when the Celtic Church was founded, but made little headway until the monastic movement of the fourth and sixth centuries. These early monasteries were centres of evangelism, and it was through them that Christianity became firmly established in Wales.

St David (500-589 AD), the patron saint of Wales, is the most famous of the Celtic monks. He established a monastery in the valley where the present St David’s Cathedral is situated. This was an educational and spiritual centre which sent out countless missionaries throughout Wales and beyond.

St David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire

By the end of the first millennium, the Celtic Church had accepted the supremacy of Rome, which, amongst other things, eventually deprived it of its national character. It remained under the Pope's authority until the Reformation.

The Reformation in Europe in the 16th century made little impression on the Welsh until the appearance of the Welsh Bible and Prayer Book by William Morgan in 1588. As well as kindling the faith of the people these books helped to keep the Welsh language alive for centuries after.

The Welsh Methodist Revival of the 18th century, characterised by the fervent preaching of people like Daniel Rowlands, Howell Harris and William Williams led to a ‘great awakening’ of faith. Methodist societies were organised, which pre-dated and were independent of the Methodist movement in England and led to a break with the Established Church in 1811.

Between 1785 and 1904, Wales experienced 16 revivals. The effects of the 1904 revival were dramatic. Miners would gather under ground at lunch time to read the Bible and pray. Crime was cut significantly and by the time the fires of revival died down 100,000 converts had been brought into the churches.

During the 20th century there has been a steep decline in church membership. Today, Wales has the lowest church attendance in the UK: 8.6% of the population. The tragedy of Wales is that, within a century, 'the land of revivals' has once again become a mission field!

Ein Tad yn y nefoedd,sancteiddier dy enw;
Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,
deled dy deyrnas;
your kingdom come,
gwneler dy ewyllys, ar y ddaear fel yn y nef.
your will be done,on earth as in heaven.
Dyro inni heddiw ein bara beunyddiol;
Give us today our daily bread.
a maddau inni ein troseddau, fel yr ym ni wedi maddau i'r rhai a droseddodd i'n herbyn;
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
a phaid â'n dwyn i brawf, ond gwared ni rhag yr Un drwg.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Oherwydd eiddot ti yw'r deyrnas a'r gallu a'r gogoniant
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
am byth. Amen
now and for ever. Amen.

Cenwych yn llafar i'r Arglwydd, yr holl ddaear!
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands!
Gwasanaethwch yr Arglwydd mewn llawenydd!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Deuwch yn ei wydd ef mewn gorfoledd!
Come into his presence with singing!
Gwybyddwch mai yr Arglwydd sy Dduw!
Know that the LORD is God!
Efe a' n gwnaeth, ac nid ni ein hunain;
It is he that made us, and we are his;
Ei bobl ef ydym a defaid ei borfa.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Ewch i mewn i'w byrth ef â dïolch,
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
Ac i'w lysoedd â moliant gennych!
And his courts with praise!
Dïolchwch iddo, a chlodforwch ei Enw!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!
Canys daionus yw yr Arglwydd;
For the LORD is good;
A'i drugaredd sydd yn dragywydd,
His steadfast love endures for ever,
A'i wirionedd a bery o genhedlaeth i genhedlaeth byth.
And his faithfulness to all generations.

Grant us, O God, your protection;
and in your protection, strength;
and in strength, understanding;
and in understanding, knowledge;
and in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
and in the knowledge of justice, the love of justice;
and in that love, the love of existence;
and in the love of existence, the love of God,
God and all goodness.
Amen.