The Dutch Influence on Thanksgiving Day!

An old city in the Netherlands, celebrates Thanksgiving Day as in the USA! Read on to discover history, which is always interesting, and just who influenced who!

You may or may not know that the United States’ Thanksgiving Day isn’t theirs alone to celebrate! Who else you ask observes this national holiday?

Located in South Holland, the Dutch city of Leiden, depicted in the picturesque photos above, are among the celebrants every fourth Thursday in November.

On this day the city commemorates the time the Pilgrims spent in Leiden before journeying to America. The city’s Gothic style church “Pieterskerk” holds a morning, non-denominational, service. At this event, a rabbi, Catholic priest, Protestant ministers and a Cantor are present.

In fact the North American tradition of Thanksgiving, first marked in Plymouth in 1621, Massachusetts, stems from the Thanksgiving services held in Leiden since 1574.

The year of 1574, about 30 years prior to the arrival of the English Pilgrims to Leiden, is significant as it is the year the city was liberated following the Siege of Leiden. The peoples of the newly freed city gave thanks at Pieterskerk and feasted on bread and fish after having gone without food for so long.

written by soundfoodaround on 2011-11-23 #lifestyle #thanksgiving #pilgrims #netherlands #leiden #holland #siege #non-denominational #pieterskerk