Belgium’s “King’s Day” in Saint-Sauveur – ZENIT

First publication on the Custody in the Holy Land on November 10, 2024

On the Sunday closest to November 15, the feast of Saint Leopold of Babenberg (Saint Leopold the Pious) and “King’s Day” in Belgium, the Custody of the Holy Land celebrated a mass in honor of the Belgian sovereigns.

Thus, during the celebration, in the presence of the Consul General of Belgium in Jerusalem, Wilfried Pfeffer, special prayers were said for the reigning sovereigns – Philippe and Mathilde – and for the Belgian nation. Regarding the readings and prayers, the three official languages ​​of the country were used: French, German and Flemish. he mass concluded with the notes of the Belgian national anthem.

In the name of Leopold

The annual Mass for Belgium is celebrated on the feast of Saint Leopold of Babenberg (1073-1136), an Austrian ruler whose reign was informed by the Catholic faith and loyalty to Rome. His feast, November 15, is present in the Germanic liturgical calendar, while in the Roman calendar it was replaced by that of Saint Albert the Great.

Saint Leopold is the patron saint of the first king of Belgium (Leopold I). In 1866, his successor, King Leopold II, established November 15 as “King’s Day”. Although it is not a national holiday, government offices remain closed on this day.

The consular mass

The mass, presided over by Brother Stéphane Milovitch, President of the Holy Sepulcher, was concelebrated by French-speaking Franciscans from the Custody of the Holy Land, religious from the White Fathers and Dominicans from the Bible School of Jerusalem. As for the homily, it was delivered by Father Frans Bouwen, of the Congregation of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers).

As it was a consular Mass, the ceremony took place in the presence of the Belgian diplomatic representative. Indeed, Belgium is, with France, Italy and Spain, one of the four “Catholic nations” which since the very beginning have supported the mission of the Custody of the Holy Land.

Welcome and sharing

In his homily, Fr. Bouwen insisted on the theme of welcoming and sharing, as well as the attitude to adopt towards the little ones, as suggested in the day’s readings. “ As full members of our societies, the young and the poor must be able to enjoy the same dignity and the same rights, he added. What welcome do we offer to the needy that we encounter in our daily lives? At every moment, we can make our small contribution to building a better world, a world that recognizes the place and dignity of everyone. ».

Father Bouwen then invited those present to pray for the sovereigns and rulers of Belgium, so that they “build a country united in harmony and mutual respect”. And so that God opens the eyes of the leaders of different countries, so that they see the real needs of their people and commit to responding to them, recognizing the equal dignity of everyone ».

Marinella Bandini