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Mother’s Day – a festival honoring mothers, motherhood, and everything they stand for, has become an inseparable part of our cultural fabric. The celebration, recognized across different parts of the globe with varying customs and dates, typically in March or May, often aligns with other familial celebrations like Father’s Day, Siblings Day, and Grandparents’ Day.
Originating from the age-old tradition of “Mothering Sunday,” Mother’s Day was widely celebrated in the British Isles during the 19th century. It was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, encouraging clerics to visit their original mother churches. While several countries have their unique version of mother’s day celebrations for centuries, the contemporary rendition of this tradition kick-started in the United States initiated by Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century.
Jarvis held the first standalone Mother’s Day service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which now stands as the International Mother’s Day Shrine. Although the current celebration doesn’t directly stem from ancient festivities like the Greek cult to Cybele or the Roman festival of Hilaria, in certain societies, Mother’s Day still carries the essence of such traditional customs.
Following its inception, the American iteration of Mother’s Day faced criticism for excessive commercialization, a digression Jarvis had not intended. She initially intended it to become a day of sentiment, not profit. Seeing the holiday being exploited by businesses, Jarvis took to boycotting such acts and promoting handmade letters of gratitude for mothers, rather than store-bought gifts or cards. Her efforts echoed across nations, leading to a broader interpretation and adoption of Mother’s Day throughout the English-speaking world, thanks to advocates like Constance Adelaide Smith.
The modern rostrum of Mother’s Day started in 1908 after Anna Jarvis took up the mantle of pushing for a dedicated day in memory of mothers. Her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, had been a commendable peace activist and the founding pillar for Mother’s Day Work Clubs addressing public health issues.
Despite an initial rejection in 1908, Jarvis’s relentless hard work finally led to all U.S states observing Mother’s Day by 1911, with the first being Jarvis’s home state, West Virginia in 1910. By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the second Sunday of May as a national holiday honoring mothers.
Today, the world reminisces the roots of Mother’s Days with a mix of joy and reflection. Through advancements by technology giants like Google, we’ve been able to foster this connection globally. The Google Doodle on May 12 encapsulated the essence of this bond, a simple yet substantial step towards keeping the spirit of honor for mothers alive globally.
Conclusively, we look at it through the lens of prominent catholic figures, where St.Therése of Lisieux beautifully expressed, “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.” It emphasizes not just the biological but the emotive, nurturing, and ethically empowering aspect of motherhood.
Information Box:
Origin: Mostly 19th Century and earlier for different regions
Names: Mother’s Day, Mothering Sunday
Modern Inception(U.S): Early 20th Century by Anna Jarvis
First Modern Celebration: 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia
Singular Possessive: To commemorate each family’s mother specifically
Commercialization Scare: Early 1920s
Backed By: Anna Jarvis, Constance Adelaide Smith, and many others
Impact: Global, with different dates, following customs relevant to regions
Reference 1: Digital News Report by Mark Williams
Reference 2: ABP News Bureau
Reference 3: Mother’s Day 2024: 12 Catholic quotes on the beauty of motherhood by Katie Yoder, Catholic News Agency