Nearly half of Belgians rarely or never visit a cemetery to remember a loved one who has died, according to DELA’s Funeral Barometer published on All Saints’ Day.
The survey found that 47% of Belgians seldom or never go to a cemetery for remembrance. Another four in ten do so only on special occasions.
For many people, visiting a grave is no longer the main way of honouring the dead. Only one in three said they regularly go to a cemetery to remember someone.
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Another third said they rarely or never visit a cemetery, even in the year following a death. Instead, 77% said they keep memories alive simply by thinking about their loved ones.
Slightly less than half said they keep personal belongings of the deceased at home, while 43% display photographs.
DELA said the findings suggest many Belgians want cemeteries to look different in future, while also embracing new ways of remembering loved ones, including at comfort concerts and even in football stadiums.
Many respondents said cemeteries in their current form no longer reflect modern needs. They called for more green space and smaller grave monuments to make better use of available land.
Seventeen per cent also said cemeteries should offer more room for other forms of mourning, such as shared remembrance events or spaces for personal rituals.
“People want more than just a place to visit a grave,” said Lien Verfaillie of DELA. “They also want somewhere peaceful, where they can reflect and recall memories in pleasant surroundings.”
She said more greenery, child-friendly spaces and room for group remembrance rituals could help meet those expectations.
The survey also highlighted the growing role of places such as football stadiums as sites of remembrance. These venues, along with others, are increasingly used to create shared spaces where people can come together to remember and mourn loved ones.
