Mother’s Day is a special occasion celebrated across the world to honor and appreciate mothers and motherhood. It is celebrated on different dates in various countries with unique traditions and customs. While it is a widely celebrated day today, few people know the history and origin of this special day. From its humble beginnings to its present-day prominence, the history of Mother’s Day is a fascinating tale that deserves to be told. In this article, we will explore the history and evolution of Mother’s Day and how it has become a global celebration of love and gratitude towards mothers.
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to ancient times, specifically the Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honour of goddesses who were mothers of the gods. One of the most well-known Greek goddesses associated with motherhood is Rhea, who was the mother of the Olympian gods Hestia, Demeter, Hera, and Zeus. In addition, the goddess Cybele was worshipped as the Great Mother of the Gods in the kingdom of Phrygia, which is now part of modern-day Turkey. Her cult spread to Greece and Rome and was associated with motherhood, nature, fertility, and agriculture.
Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated in various ways and on different days around the world. In the United Kingdom, Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent and began as a religious occasion during the Middle Ages for people who had moved away from their hometowns to return home and visit their “mother church.” Over time, it became a non-religious tradition where children of all ages give their mothers gifts and other tokens of affection.
In France, Mother’s Day has its origins in the Napoleonic era when Napoleon announced a special day to recognize mothers of large families in 1806. The celebration was revived in 1920 when the government began awarding medals to mothers of large families to acknowledge their help in rebuilding the population after the First World War. After the Second World War, the government declared the last Sunday in May as La Fête des Mères.
Mother’s Day in Japan began in 1913 when Christian missionaries introduced the celebration, and March 6 was chosen as the official date for Mother’s Day as it was also the birthday of Empress Kojun, mother of Emperor Akihito. The celebration later became fully established alongside the organization of the Imperial Women’s Union in 1931. During the Second World War, the Japanese were prohibited from celebrating western customs, and Mother’s Day was brought to an abrupt halt. However, it returned to the Japanese calendar in 1949, and the date was changed to the second Sunday of May.
In many countries, Mother’s Day is celebrated alongside International Women’s Day, which is recognized by the United Nations on March 8 each year. Russia, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, and Albania, for example, celebrate International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day together. Anna Jarvis, an American peace activist, and caretaker of wounded soldiers was the driving force behind Mother’s Day in the United States.
Anna Jarvis’ mother, Ann Jarvis, was also a peace activist and dedicated her life to supporting and advancing the causes of women. It was after Ann ended one Sunday school lesson in 1876 with a prayer that “someone, sometime, will found a memorial Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it,” that Anna conceived of a “Mother’s Day Movement” as a way of honoring her mother’s wish.
Anna began a letter-writing campaign to anyone and everyone she thought might help advance her cause. She eventually gave up her job to write full-time to politicians, newspapers, members of the clergy, authors, and prominent business leaders, pointing out that American holidays were biased toward male achievements. Anna’s persistence paid off when she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration in 1908 at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where she had lived as a child. She sent 500 white carnations, her mother’s favorite flower, to the church and asked attendees to pin them on as a symbol of the purity of mother’s love.
Finally, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday in May a federally recognized Mother’s Day holiday. However, by 1920, Anna became disillusioned with the commercialization of the day and spent most of her personal wealth in lawsuits against groups and organizations that used the name “Mother’s Day.” By the time of her death in 1948, she had disowned the holiday altogether, but Mother’s Day continues to be celebrated in the US on the second Sunday of May each year.
In conclusion, Mother’s Day has a rich history that dates back to ancient times and varies in its origin and celebration among countries. Despite its commercialization, it remains a special day to recognize and honor the love and sacrifices of mothers everywhere.
