St Piran's Day celebrations 2023 across Cornwall

In 2022 Cornwall's archive centre Kresen Kernow installed a new stained glass window on St Piran's Day

Celebrations for St Piran's Day 2023 are being held across Cornwall on Sunday.

The annual celebrations for the Cornish patron saint returned in person in 2022 after being held virtually due to the national Covid-19 lockdown.

Processions, performances and workshops are planned including the retelling of the story of St Piran at Perranporth.

Hundreds of people are expected to march across Perran Sands carrying daffodils and the black and white flags of St Piran.

What is St Piran's Day?

St Piran's Day, Gool Peran in Cornish, is on 5 March each year and celebrates one of the patron saints of Cornwall, Saint Piran, who is also the patron saint of tin miners.

Legend tells that St Piran was a 6th Century abbot in Ireland where he performed miracles, such as raising soldiers from the dead who were slain in battle.

However, a group of local kings grew wary of his powers so flung him into the sea with a millstone around his neck.

The legend says St Piran floated over to Perranporth beach on the north coast of Cornwall and built a small chapel in the sand dunes, where people travelled to hear him preach.

This is now known as St Piran's Oratory or the "lost church", and is the setting of an annual march and performance on the Sunday closest to 5 March.

The Cornish Flag, a white cross on a black background, represents white tin flowing from the black rock, which St Piran is said to have discovered.

According to the legend St Piran lived for 200 years, drunkenly falling down a well to his death.