Holidays marked with ◎ are movable feasts whose dates change every year based on the date of Easter.
* In addition, November 15th of each year is celebrated as "King's Feast" (Dynasty Day) with royal events, and government institutions are closed.
Regional Holidays
Belgium is a multilingual country. For this reason, it transitioned to a federal system based on regional and linguistic communities in 1993. In addition to the national holidays listed above, specific regional holidays are established for each area.
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Overview of Holidays in Belgium
Good Friday Good Friday is not a public holiday in Belgium, but a substitute holiday for another public holiday may be allocated to this day, making it a day off. Good Friday is a religious holiday commemorating the passion and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Easter Sunday / Easter Monday Commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Christians believe took place on the third day after his crucifixion.
Ascension Day Commemorates the ascension of the resurrected Jesus Christ into heaven in the presence of his disciples. It is observed on the 40th day after Easter.
Pentecost Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. According to Christian tradition, this took place 50 days after Easter.
National Day (Independence Day) Commemorates the accession of King Leopold I on July 21, 1831, marking the establishment of the independent Kingdom of Belgium.
Assumption of Mary A Catholic feast day commemorating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven at the end of her earthly life.
All Saints' Day A Christian feast day dedicated to honoring all saints.
Armistice Day Commemorates the signing of the armistice agreement that ended World War I (November 11, 1918).
National Flag and Anthem of Belgium
National Flag
The three colors of the Belgian flag are derived from the coat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant (a yellow lion with red tongue and claws on a black field).
National Anthem
The national anthem of Belgium is "The Brabançonne" (The Song of Brabant). Since Belgium is a multilingual country, the lyrics have three versions (Dutch, French, and German). The lyrics celebrate Belgium, its monarchy, and the nation's freedom.
