Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May as a standard across much of the globe. In countries like the US, Canada, Australia, India, and many countries in Europe, Mother’s Day customs include a day of appreciation, offering flowers, cards, in-bed breakfasts and affectionate gestures to one’s mother.
Nonetheless, the northern region of Belgium, and even the city and province of Antwerp, has an independent tradition which has survived for more than a century. The celebration in Antwerp is actually not held in May, but on August 15. This quirky tradition is rich in history, culture, and religion, but it survives amid the global uniformity of Mother’s Day, which is observed on May 15.
The Birth of a Tradition
The association of the Assumption of Mary with Mother’s Day means more than just symbolism. The veneration of Mary in Antwerp on August 15 also goes back generations, part of the Catholic identity of the region.
Antwerp, while in certain areas of the city, a parade still ebbs and flows through the streets bearing a statue of the Virgin Mary. The two elements of civic pageantry and religious tradition bring out the strong interrelationships between motherhood, spirituality and the sense of cultural belonging in this part of Belgium, as reported by Europe Today.
Mary, as a respected person of faith, is so often the exemplar of grace, patience, and motherly affection. By choosing Mary’s feast day to celebrate all mothers, Van Kuyck gave common motherhood the same homage as sacred maternity. The religious character of the event has helped maintain its celebration despite changes in the wider cultural vision.
The Influence of Religion and Symbolism
Noting Mother’s Day and the Assumption of Mary is more than just a symbolic action. Antwerp has a strong history involving Catholicism, and people have also celebrated Mary on August 15 for several generations. On this very day, religious institutions in Antwerp orchestrate extraordinary Masses, and some places celebrate an old tradition where a Virgin Mary statue is processed in the town. This celebration and ceremony express the interwoven bond between motherhood, faith and cultural pride in this region of Belgium.
As a religious symbol, Mary implies grace, patience, and the ideal of maternal sacrifice. In making her feast day the celebration of every mother, Van Kuyck elevated ordinary motherhood to a spiritual image of homage and inspiration. Its spiritual element has made it robust in light of the ever-changing contemporary cultural standards.
Civic Pride and Cultural Identity
The success of Antwerp’s Mother’s Day comes from its strong foundation in the city. Even when U.S. President Woodrow Wilson made May 15 the official date for Mother’s Day in 1914, Antwerp clung to its August 15 celebration. Eventually, the second Sunday in May was recognized in most of the Western world and was included in the calendar by the 1920s in the remainder of Belgium.
But Antwerp held firm. City officials, schools and commercial entities continued to observe August 15 as the day to celebrate mothers. With cultures increasingly interrelated in the present time, this unique local pride survives. In Antwerp, many believe that taking Mother’s Day out of August 15 would pollute the tradition’s true meaning.
How Antwerp Celebrates Mother’s Day?
Although the date for observing the day may differ, the thought that goes with Mother’s Day in Antwerp mirrors the international concepts. Often, children put breakfast on the table for their mothers in their bedrooms at the start of the day. It is a tradition for family members to give to each other heartfelt cards, lush flower displays, and thoughtful small gifts.
It’s the time when families can gather, share a meal and appreciate the heavy work mothers perform at home. Many Churches hold unique services for mothers, which sometimes include Marian hymns and prayers. Public community events may be organised by local councils, with engaging concerts and storytelling that celebrate mothers.
Schools across Antwerp participate in the celebrations too. The month preceding the August 15 celebrations, teachers often instruct children to make handmade items to give as gifts to their mothers. Artistic expressions like hand-drawn pictures, lovingly penned poems or papier-mache flowers form precious keepsakes which are often treasured for hundreds or any number of years.
The Rest of Belgium
All over Belgium, except Antwerp, people celebrate Mother’s Day in May as per common norms internationally. There is no competition involved in these various dates, as these are a delightful combination of local and national traditions. Observance of the holiday twice by certain families is quite frequent because they have a connection to both traditions. In Antwerp, some mothers are indeed loved twice, in May and then again in August.
Most Belgian media and businesses celebrate the day on both occasions. The rest of Belgium is organising May sales while those in Antwerp are preparing for a wave of August business. By marking the day twice, businesses can have more time to exploit the consumer spending, thus the marketing window becomes wider for them.
International Perspective on Mother’s Day
Other cities in the world, such as Antwerp, also have their own unique ways of celebrating Mother’s Day. Around the world, different cultures celebrate Mother’s Day on various days for various reasons:
- United Kingdom: The custom emerged from Christian ceremonies during Lent, which occurs on the fourth Sunday of the season and predate celebrations in the United States.
- Mexico: Zoned regardless of the weekday, also usually on May 10, and usually includes mariachi concerts or family reunions.
- Thailand: Shored up as it is on August 12, the birthday of Queen Sirikit and thus of both personal and national significance.
- Russia and a number of Eastern European countries: On March 8, International Women’s Day is celebrated in a more inclusive way for all mothers.
These varied traditions demonstrate worldwide respect of motherhood with specific versions to each culture’s unique ways of celebration. In Antwerp, the celebration emphasizes the intense impact of history, faith and communal values on the enduring nature of regional observances.
Enduring Relevance in the Modern World
In the midst of the speed and globalisation of modern-day globalisation, one can presuppose that such local traditions would decline. Nevertheless, the custom continues, being important for the consecutive lines of the people. Youthful families tend to adhere to the August tradition, sometimes swept up in a blend of memories and devotion to the peculiar character of their city.
This continuity reflects the fact that rituals and public gatherings that unite communities have universal appeal. Despite a time for squished distances and homogenized experiences, communities look to traditions as ties to their roots and history.
Finale Thoughts
Frans Van Kuyck’s idea for Antwerp’s August 15 celebration of Mother’s Day typifies the impact of culture and tradition in public life. The Antwerp tradition, associated with the Assumption of Mary, raises motherhood from its biological nature to a deep spiritual Donna.
Even after a long period, the habit has prospered. It is highly appreciated locally and by visitors as a distinctive manifestation of a universal custom. As homogenisation infiltrates regional customs, Antwerp’s annual Mother’s Day takes everyone in its wake and reminds us all of the significance of cultural diversity.
FAQS
What is the significance of August 15 for Antwerp’s Mother’s Day?
August 15 marks Assumption Day, a national day which honours Mary, the mother of Jesus. Antwerp’s antiquated veneration of Mary, named its patroness in 1124, grants a particular significance to August 15 as a day dedicated to rejoicing in motherhood.
When is Mother’s Day celebrated in the rest of Belgium?
In most of Belgium, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, a date that was inspired by the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s decree in 1914, which was soon accepted all over Europe.
Is Mother’s Day a public holiday in Belgium?
In Belgium, Mother’s Day is not an official public holiday. Although important for exchanging tokens and revelling in some moments with family, schools and establishments do not close for this day.
Are there other countries that celebrate Mother’s Day on August 15?
Besides Antwerp, Mother’s Day is also celebrated in Costa Rica on August 15, and it is the date that is connected to the Feast of the Assumption.
