Mothering Sunday

Never really thought about it, but I just assumed all countries pretty much observed a day called Mother's Day. And in fact, most countries do. It is just that I had my brain trained that Mother's Day was always in May, which is when it usually is observed in the U.S., and never really stopping to think that "it just ain't so" elsewhere.

As it happens, yesterday was Mother's Day in the UK, or also known as "Mothering Sunday". While most countries do celebrate the day as one for honoring mothers, the origins of the day do in fact differ.

In the UK, Mothering Sunday has no direct connection to the American practice. Falling on the fourth Sunday of Lent (exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday), it is believed to have originated from the 16th century Christian practice of visiting one's mother church annually, which meant that most mothers would be reunited with their children on this day. Most historians believe that young apprentices and young women in servitude were released by their masters that weekend in order to visit their families. As a result of secularization, it is now principally used to celebrate and give thanks for mothers, although it is still recognized in church, with attention paid to Mary the mother of Jesus as well as the traditional concept 'mother church'.

Around the world, different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins. One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Mother worship, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of the gods, was held around the Verna; Equinox around Asia Minor. Eventually, Rome adopted the practice itself and celebrated the day during the Ides of March (March 15 to March 18). The Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day.

In Ireland and the British Isles, the day now simply celebrates motherhood and seeks to thank mothers. In most countries, Mother's Day is a new concept copied from western civilization. In many African countries, Mother's Day has its origins in copying the British concept. In most of Asia, Mother's Day is a heavily marketed and commercialized concept copied straight from the US Mother's Day. Of course, in the US, Mother's Day was originally conceived by social activist Julia Ward Howe during the American Civil War with a call to unite women against war.

Given what mothers do, I suppose any day is a perfect day is for honoring them, whether it is the "official" day in your country or not.