Most of us learned when we were little that there was a special day, one in which mom was the protagonist of all our attention. We made crafts for her at school that she kept with love. Sometimes she also prepared breakfast or some special treat. But, Despite being an internalized custom, very few know the history of Mother’s Day. Indeed, this date was not born randomly or as a product of a whim. Today in Supercurioso we have started to investigate, and we will tell you what the origin of Mother’s Day is. Can you come with us? Well, let’s get started!
Approaching the history of mother’s day
Madre, mamá, mare, ama, mamma, mother, maman… The sound “ma” is one of the first sounds emitted by the human being and that is why in most languages it is part of the word that designates the woman who gave us life. If you want to give her a phrase that explains from the heart why Mother’s Day is celebrated, you will surely find it among this collection of Phrases for Mother’s Day. If you think that Mother’s Day is something modern and commercial, you are very wrong. In fact, it was already celebrated by the Greeks and Romans.
The origin of mother’s day: ancient Greece and Rome
The history of Mother’s Day is much older than we think. In fact, when talking about who invented mother’s day, the civilizations of Greece and Ancient Rome appear. In Greece There were already Mother’s Day celebrations in which honors were paid to the mother of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades: Rhea. The Romans instituted a festival called La Hilaria that was celebrated on March 15 in the Cibeles temple and honored mothers with three days of offerings. The Christians, as in many other cases, modified the pagan cults and in this case they transformed the festivity and honored Mary, mother of Jesus. Finally they established December 8, the day of the Immaculate Conception, the date on which to celebrate mothers.
Beyond this mother’s day origin, there were also other celebrations that marked the history of the date. One of them is Mother’s Sunday, which has taken place in Great Britain since the 17th century. In the US it is considered that Anna Jarvis was the promoter of the celebration in 1907. Anna, upon the death of her mother, a courageous woman who was a great activist for peace during the Civil War and promoted a day in several states to commemorate the efforts of working mothers, wanted to make that day dedicated to mothers official. Seven years later, President Wilson made Mother’s Day official. However, years later, Anna Jarvis herself expressed her disagreement with the commercial aspect that was given to the celebration.
Why is Mother’s Day celebrated, and not Mother’s Day?
Another interesting point in the history of Mother’s Day is why it is celebrated in the singular, and not Mother’s Day. We possibly owe this fact to Anna Jarvis. In 1912, when this woman created the International Mother’s Day Association and coined and registered the phrase “Second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day” in her country, she said that the singular of the word Mother should be preserved, since the tribute was not for mothers in general, but each family had to honor their own mother.
The celebration of mother’s day in different countries
The first Sunday of May in Spain
Mother’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, but on different dates of the year. In Spain it coincides with the first Sunday of May. The explanation of why Mother’s Day is celebrated on that day is necessary to look for it in the year 1965. As we have said, Catholics, devotees of the figure of the Virgin Mary, celebrated Mother’s Day on December 8, a holiday of the Immaculate Conception. In Spain, a country with a Catholic tradition, this was done until the “Galerías Preciados” department store imported from Cuba the custom of celebrating it in May, opting for the first Sunday.
The other large Spanish store of the moment, “El Corte Inglés”, also joined that date when, in 1965, the Church accepted the celebration of the month of May, the month consecrated to the Virgin Mary, to celebrate Mother’s Day and thus preserve the authentic meaning of the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Mother’s Day in other Spanish-speaking countries
The history of Mother’s Day finds the peak of its development in the month of May. All Latin American countries celebrate Mother’s Day during this month. In Mexicofor example, is celebrated on May 10 regardless of which day of the week it falls on. It was celebrated for the first time in 1911, but it was not institutionalized until 1922. In Salvador and Guatemala it is also commemorated on May 10. In Bolivia, Mother’s Day is on May 27 in commemoration of the Heroines of the Crown who in 1812 fought a battle on the Hill of San Sebastián, in the city of Cochabanba, to defend their children. Many countries like Cuba or Chile celebrate it on the second Sunday of May and others on the last Sunday of May.
In Costa Rica it is celebrated on August 15, the day of the Virgin of the Assumption. In some places it has not changed and the mother continues to be celebrated on December 8, as is the case in Panama. In Argentina It is celebrated on the third Sunday of October and in Paraguay it is commemorated on May 15, Independence Day because they consider that the country is the mother of all Paraguayans. As you will see, since the origin of Mother’s Day, the party has had variations in its dates and forms of celebration.
In short, the history of Mother’s Day goes back thousands of years, and carries with it great symbolism associated with love and recognition of that being who gave us life. And you, Did you know the origin of Mother’s Day? What date is commemorated in your country? Do you think that commercialization has made it lose its original meaning? If you want to delve deeper into the meaning of motherhood in ancient times, we invite you to read the post: 10 Mother Goddesses from different cultures. I’m sure you’ll be interested! ?Until next time!