All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day on 1 November is a Christian feast day honouring all saints, known and unknown. The day has its roots in the early Christian church and was fixed on 1 November for the whole of the Western church by Pope Gregory IV in the ninth century. The following day, 2 November, is All Souls' Day, dedicated to remembrance of the departed.

In Belgium, All Saints' Day is the traditional occasion on which families visit and decorate the graves of their loved ones with flowers, particularly chrysanthemums. Cemeteries across the country are busy on this day, and the custom of adorning gravestones with flowers and candles is deeply rooted in Belgian life. All Saints' Day also coincides with the autumn school half-term, giving families the chance to gather together at the graveside.