The History and Story of Mother’s Day

In ancient Greece, people held spring celebrations in honor of Rhea,
the mother of the gods. In the 17th century, England celebrated Mothering Sunday on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40th weekday before Easter) to honor mothers. It was said that many poor families sent their kids to live with rich families to work for them. These young servants returned home on Mothering Sunday to stay with their mother. They brought Mothering Cake and gifts for their mother.

A well-known story about Mother’s Day comes from the U.S.A. In 1907, Ana Jarvis from Philadelphia persuaded her mother’s church in West Virginia to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, the day that coincided with the date of her mother’s death 2 years before.

Then, people started celebrating Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. Mother’s Day comforted the women who lost their husband or sons during
World War I. Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state by 1911. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson and Congress proclaimed Mother’s Day a nation holiday.