Christmas Evans
A one-eyed Welsh preacher whose volcanic oratory and vivid imagination electrified crowds across the chapels of Wales.
1766–1838 (age 72)·Welsh nonconformist minister·Birthday: December 25
Biography
Christmas Evans emerged from a life of brutal hardship to become a defining voice of Welsh religious revival. Orphaned and illiterate, he worked as a farm laborer before a conversion experience ignited a passion for preaching. A violent assault left him with one eye, but his internal vision only grew more potent. With no formal education, he taught himself to read and write in both Welsh and English, devouring theology and literature to fuel his sermons. Traveling by foot and later by horse across the rugged Welsh countryside, he became a Baptist colossus, known for his physical preaching style and breathtakingly imaginative language. He painted biblical scenes with such dramatic force that congregations felt they were witnessing the events firsthand. His impact lay not in theological innovation, but in his ability to make ancient stories feel immediate and visceral, stirring the emotions and convictions of ordinary people during a period of intense religious fervor.
#1 When Christmas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1766
Christmas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1766Born
1771Started school
1779Became a teenager
1782Could drive
1784Could vote
1787Turned 21
1796Turned 30
1806Turned 40
1816Turned 50
1826Turned 60
1836Turned 70
1838Died at 72
Key Achievements
- Became the most influential Welsh Baptist preacher of the 19th century, driving the Methodist revival.
- Authored a seminal Welsh-language essay, 'The Letter and the Spirit', on religious experience.
- Served as a minister for over fifty years, primarily on the island of Anglesey and in Caerphilly.
- His published sermons and writings helped shape the Welsh nonconformist pulpit tradition.
Did You Know?
He was born on Christmas Day, 1766, which is the source of his unusual first name.
He lost his left eye in a gang fight as a young man before his religious conversion.
He was known to practice his sermons aloud while walking alone in the countryside.
Despite his fame, he lived in relative poverty for much of his life.
“The Bible is a letter from God, and every word is true.”
