Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers and lived during the 5th century. She is also known as Dwyn; Donwen; Donwenna; or Dunwen. 

Dwynwen was said to be one of 24 children fathered by the then King of Wales, Brychan Brycheiniog of Brechon (Brecon).

She was renowned to be both very religious and pure and was also said to be enchantingly beautiful thereby attracting the attention of many lovestruck young men.

As the legend goes, one evening Dwynwen's father held a feast where everyone attended in the finest attire to eat and dance the night away.

At the feast, Dwynwen's beauty captivated the attention of a young prince by the name of Maelon Gwynedd (also referred to as Maelon Dafodrill). He fell in love with her immediately and soon made clear to Dwynwen of his desire to marry her.

Due to many a tale becoming distorted with the passing of time there are several diversities as to what subsequently occurred between Dwynwen and Maelon;
1. Dwynwen returned her love but couldn't marry Maelon as her religious beliefs had encouraged her to become a nun.
2. Brychan refused consent due to his dislike of Maelon.
3. Brychan refused consent due to arranging for Dwynwen to wed another suitor.

Consequently, there are several outcomes that have been determined by the above;
1. Following her father's refusal, Dwynwen is asked by Maelon to run away with him to his court. Dwynwen rejects this, which angers Maelon who leaves never to return again.
2. Some interpretations of this tale claim that Maelon was so outraged by Dwynwen's chosen life of a nun (or by Brychan's refusals) that he raped and left her.
3. More whimsical versions say that Maelon simply 'goes away' after realising that he and Dwynwen will never be spliced together.

Consistency in the tale arrives when Dwynwen's sadness impels her to console herself in the woods nearby. There she prays to God to rid her of her feelings for Maelon. In the version where she is raped Dwynwen prays to God to help her 'forget' Maelon.

Answering her prayers, an angel visits Dwynwen who gives her a potion to help rid her of her feelings or make her forget Maelon. Unfortunately, Maelon drinks the same potion and is turned into ice. There is another difference of opinion here where some tales say that this was an actual visitation whilst others claim that the angel came to Dwynwen in a dream. Also some claim that Maelon was turned to ice as a direct result of Dwynwen drinking the potion. This would probably be apt in the version where Dwynwen is raped.

Dwynwen is horrified to learn of Maelon's misfortune and prays again to God, who answers her prayers by granting her three requests (some say 'wishes');
1. The first was to have Maelon thawed and brought back to life.
2. The second was that God would look kindly on the hopes and dreams of true lovers whilst mending the broken hearts of the spurned. Most versions claim that Dwynwen requested this to be done through her, therefore making her a patron saint.
3. Her final request was that she was never to marry nor have the desire to do so in order to devote the remainder of her life to God.

Dwynwen then became a nun and she settled (some say with her sister, Cain) on Llanddwyn Island, which rests off the west coast of Anglesey. There they founded a church or convent on the island where, it is said, that they were joined by many a broken hearted woman.

Dwynwen's most known saying was "nothing wins hearts like cheerfulness".

Dwynwen died of natural causes around 460 AD. The remains of the16th century Tudor church in Llanddwyn can be seen today although the site is attributed to that of the church founded by Dwynwen.

The church and the nearby well has attracted pilgrimages by people over the centuries, particularly from young lovers seeking assurances of their future lives together.

The water of the well was said to be the home for a magical and sacred fish (or eel) whose behaviour and movement predicted the future for young lovers. Questions were asked of the fish and the answers were determined by the direction in which it moved. Women would test the faithfulness of their husbands by sprinkling breadcrumbs into the water and then placing a handkerchief on the surface. The husband would be deemed faithful if the fish disturbed the surface.

People still visit the well today where a few bubbles breaking on the surface of the water are enough to encourage a future of happiness for young lovers.

Dwynwen also became known as the patron saint of sick animals with her name often being invoked when necessary in an attempt to heal an injured beast or pet.

Recent years have seen an increase amongst Welsh people in the celebrating of St. Dwynwen's Day by exchanging cards and gifts such as lovespoons. Special events such as parties and concerts are also held on the 25th of January to signify a greater popularity of celebrating St. Dwynwen's Day amongst the Welsh.

Dwynwen yw nawdd sant cariadon Cymru ac arferai fyw yn y 5ed ganrif.  Fe'i hadwaenir hefyd fel Dwyn: Donwen: Donwenna: or Dunwen.

Dyweder fod Dwynwen wedi bod yn un o 24 o blant â fagwyd gan Freninn Cymru, Brychan Brycheiniog.

Adnabyddwyd hi fel person pur, hynod grefyddol a phrydferth a olygai ei bod yn denu sylw llawer o ddynion ifanc.

Yn ôl y sôn, un noson fe gynhaliodd tad Dwynwen wledd ac fe'i mynychwyd gan bawb yn eu dillad gorau lle y bu pawb yn gloddesta a dawnsio drwy gydol y nos.

Yn y wledd, fe ddaliodd prydferthwch Dwynwen sylw Dywysog ifanc o'r enw Maelon Gwynedd. Fe syrthiodd mewn cariad gyda hi yn syth a buan y bu iddo wneud hynny'n glir a chyfleu ei ddymuniad i'w phriodi

Wrth i amser fynd yn ei flaen ac i'r straeon gael eu hadrodd droeon, mae yna nifer fawr o amrywiaethau am yr hyn a ddigwyddodd rhwng Dwynwen a Maelon;
1. Bu i Dwynwen ddatgan ei chariad ond ni allai briodi Maelon oherwydd roedd ei chredoau crefyddol wedi ei hannog i fod yn leian.
2. Gwrthododd Brychan roi ei fendith oherwydd nad oedd yn hoffi Maelon.
3. Gwrthododd Brychan roi ei fendith oherwydd ei fod eisoes wedi trefnu i Dwynwen briodi cariadfab arall.

Oherwydd hyn, mae llawer o ganlyniadau posib wedi eu llunio;
1. Yn dilyn ymwrthodiad tad Dwynwen, mae Maelon yn gofyn i Dwynwen ddianc ag ef i'w lys. Mae Dwynwen yn gwrthod hyn, sy'n cynddeiriogi Maelon sy'n peri iddo adael am byth.
2. Mae rhai dehongliadau o'r stori hwn yn honni fod Maelon wedi'i gynddeiriogi gymaint â dewis Dwynwen i fod yn leian (neu oherwydd ei bod wedi gwrthod Brychan) ei fod wedi ei threisio a'i gadael.
3. Mae fersiynau eraill yn honni fod Maelon yn syml yn gadael wedi iddo sylweddoli na fydd Dwynwen nag ef byth yn priodi.

Daw cysondeb i'r stori pan fo tristwch Dwynwen yn ei hannog i gysuro ei hun yn y goedwig gerllaw. Yno, mae hi'n gweddio i Dduw i'w hymwared o'i theimladau tuag at Maelon. Yn y fersiwn lle mae hi'n cael ei threisio, mae Dwynwen yn gweddio i Dduw i'w helpu i anghofio Maelon.

Atebir ei gweddiau pan fo angel yn ei hymweld ac fe roddir cymysgedd iddi ei yfed i'w helpu i ymwared o'i theimladau neu i wneud iddi anghofio Maelon. Yn anffodus, mae Maelon yn yfed yr un gymysgedd ac yn cael ei droi i rew. Mae yna wahaniaeth mewn barn o ran y stori yma hefyd. Tra bod rhai storiau yn dweud mae ymweliad gwirioneddol oedd hwn, honna eraill fod yr angel wedi ymweld â Dwynwen yn ei breuddwydion. Hefyd, honna rai fod Maelon wedi ei droi'n rew o ganlyniad uniongyrchol i Dwynwen yfed y gymysgedd. Mae hyn yn debygol yn y fersiwn lle honnir i Dwynwen gael ei threisio.

Mae Dwynwen yn cael braw o glywed am anlwc Maelon ac mae hi felly yn gweddio i Dduw eto, sy'n ateb ei gweddiau gan ganiatau iddi dri dymuniad;
1. Y cyntaf oedd i ddadmer Maelon a'i ddod ag ef nôl i fywyd.
2. Yr ail oedd cais i Dduw edrych yn garedig ar obeithion a breuddwydion gwir gariadon. Mae'r rhan helaeth o fersiynau yn honni fod Dwynwen wedi gwneud cais i hwn gael ei wireddu drwyddi hi, fyddai felly yn ei gwneud yn nawdd sant.
3. Ei chais diwethaf oedd nad oedd hi am gael ei huno mewn priodas byth nac ychwaith ddymuno gwneud hynny er mwyn iddi allu aberthu gweddill ei hoes i Dduw. >

Fe ddaeth Dwynwen yn leian wedyn ac fe ymgartrefodd (dywed rhai â'i chwaer, Cain) ar Ynys Llanddwyn, ar arfordir gorllewin Ynys Môn. Yno, bu iddynt sefydlu eglwys neu leiandy, lle dyweder, y bu i nifer o ferched oedd wedi cael eu calonnau wedi eu torri ymuno â hwy.

Bu farw Dwynwen o effeithiau naturiol o amgylch 460AD. Gellir gweld adfeilion yr Eglwys duduraidd, 16eg ganrif yn Llanddwyn o hyd heddiw.

Mae'r eglwys a'r ffynnon gyfagos wedi denu pererindodau gan bobl dros y canrifoedd, yn enwedig gan gariadon ifanc yn edrych am ryw fath o sicrwydd am eu dyfodol â'i gilydd.

Credwyd fod y ffynnon yn ymgartrefu pysgodyn hudolus a chysygredig (neu lysywen) oedd yn rhagweld dyfodol cariadon ifanc drwy ei ymddygiad a'i symudiadau. Gofynnwyd cwestiynau i'r pysgodyn ac fe'i hatebwyd gan y cyfeiriad y symudai. Arferai merched rhoi ar brawf ffyddlondeb eu gwyr drwy wasgaru briwsion yn y dwr ac yna gosod hances boced ar yr wyneb. Credwyd pe byddai'r pysgodyn yn dod at wyneb y dwr y byddai hyn yn brawf o ffyddlondeb eu gwyr.

Mae pobl yn dal i ymweld â'r ffynnon heddiw ac mae ychydig fan-swigod byrlymus ar wyneb y dwr yn ddigon i annog dyfodol hapus i gariadon ifanc.

Daeth Dwynwen hefyd yn adnabyddus fel nawdd sant anifeiliaid sal a'i henw yn cael ei alw arno, pan fo angen, mewn ymgais i wella anifail anafedig.

Yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, mae cynydd wedi bod yn y nifer o bobl sy'n dathlu Dydd Santes Dwynwen drwy anfon cardiau ac anrhegion megis llwyau caru, ar 25ain o Ionawr.