A stained glass image of St Beuno. Source: pravoslavie.ru
Today is St Bueno’s Day. Bueno was second only to St David in terms of being Wales’ favourite saint. He is associated chiefly with cattle, a result of the tradition of ritual cow slaughter at the well that bears his name in an openly pagan spring practice. In time, this evolved into the donation of cash to St Beuno’s Chest if any calves were born with physical disfigurement. The oaken chest itself is cunningly wrought to be an integral part of the church at Clynnog. St Bueno’s Well is also curative, particularly for those afflicted with epilepsy whose disease will disappear if they bathe in its waters.
In 2024, today is also the beginning of the Jewish feast of Passover, a commemoration of the last of the plagues visited on the Egyptians, namely the Angel of Death visiting their homes and taking off their firstborn. The Hebrew households were left unscathed, the Angel having “passed over” them. The Israelites were released from bondage by the Egyptian Pharaoh soon after.