Whensday: Light festival in Aarschot

Last week was Mother’s Day in Antwerp. It was only mother’s day in Antwerp, mind you. In the rest of Belgium (and only in Belgium - not in the Netherlands) it was the holiday of the Ascension of Mary on August 15. This is also why it is Mother’s Day in Antwerp. It is a celebration of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The rest of Belgium took the opportunity to make it a holiday, however. The stores were closed and many people go for a day off on vacation.

Along this same line is a light celebration on August 15 in Aarschot, Belgium. August 15 is the celebration of Saint Rochus there. The whole city turns off its electrified lighting and all of its inhabitants put out candles all over the city. A magical atmosphere is created which the city tourism has turned into a special festival with extra attractions, including concerts and special markets. 

Saint Rochus (Roch or Rock or Rollox in other languages), was a Catholic confessor in the 14th century. This was the time of the “pest” (in Dutch) or the plague. The city of Aarschot celebrates its salvation from the plague by celebrating this patron saint of plague sufferers who regularly helped those who were sick. So August 15th has become a festival of light in darkness. 

We first visited the festival years ago when visiting a brother and sister from the church who live in a village nearby Aarschot. It was an amazing evening. The candles are lit at 9 pm and are all extinguished at midnight. We have hoped to get back again some time, but it has not yet been possible. We have a Bible study almost every Monday evening with this couple, but the August 15 date of course falls on different days each year (this year falling on the Thursday that I was at camp).