King’s feast in 2020: 2 days to go
King’s Feast History
The King’s Feast serves to celebrate, preserve and remember the unique culture of the Kingdom of Belgium. It is a night of gastronomical Belgian delights, artistic performances and renowned Belgian beer. The King’s Feast is not a national holiday in Belgium, though many government offices are closed.
King Leopold III officially installed November 15 to be the feast day of Saint Leopold and Saint Albert. During the rule of Prince Charles the holiday was renamed to be Day of the Dynasty or Feast of the Dynasty. These names provide extraneous description of the holiday, however, they are still used very often. Only in 1952 King Baudouin gave the holiday its current name.
The King’s feast is celebrated on 15 November, a day that commemorates the feast of Saint Leopold and the Feast of Saint Albert, in the German Liturgical and Roman Catholic calendars. It has been celebrated annually since 1866, when Leopold II declared it. Since the birth of the Belgian State, 3 of 7 kings have been named Leopold and another two, Albert.
A special service is held in the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Brussels and the Te Deum is sung. The service is attended by the royal family (except of the monarchs) and other local authorities.