From Belgium to Bangladesh and Croatia, many countries celebrate mothers today, on the second Sunday in May. Not the province of Antwerp, however; mums there have to wait until 15 August to be honoured.
The day recognised by many in Western Europe to celebrate mothers originated from a decision made by United States President Woodrow Wilson. However, the idea came from Anna Marie Jarvis, a woman from West Virginia who proposed the establishment of a special day to show mothers just how much they are valued.
She held the world's first-ever Mother's Day in her home state in 1908. Over the years, the idea gained so much traction in other US states that President Wilson in 1914 decided that every second Sunday in May would be a new bank holiday to honour mothers.
The US tradition later spread to Europe, and by the 1920s, people in Belgium were celebrating Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May as well. Except, of course, in Antwerp, where they had already been celebrating Mother's Day since 1913 – on 15 August.
Mother's Day crafts at a school in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. Credit: Belga
This was the result of a pamphlet ('The Mother's Day') by Frans Van Kuyck, a liberal councillor and artist at the time. He wrote that all mothers should be honoured on 15 August to restore the dignity of the family and make it flourish.
It is no coincidence that this day coincides with Assumption Day, as this is the name day of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Antwerp also has a close relationship with Mary, as she has been the city's Patron Saint since the Middle Ages.
While the rest of the country may not have adopted their date of choice, Antwerp locals have stubbornly continued to stick to their tradition for more than 110 years.
And it doesn't stop there: Father's Day also has a different date in Antwerp. While celebrated on the second Sunday in June for most of the world, the people of Antwerp do it on 19 March. The reason? It is the name day of Joseph of Nazareth – the original father, one might say.
