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The history of the honoring of mothers and motherhood is believed to have begun in ancient Greece. It is believed that it occurred because of a custom of the worship of mothers. It was a festival which took place from March 15th (the Ides of March) until the 18th.
Ancient Romans celebrated a holiday called Matronalia. It was dedicated to the mythological God Juno, and mothers were given gifts that day.
In 1868 there was a committee created by Ann Jarvis to establish “Mother’s Friendship Day.” The purpose of the committee was for the reuniting of families that were separated during the Civil War. She died before she was able to expand the ideals to recognize an annual memorial for the mothers of those families. Her daughter continued these efforts after her mother’s death in 1905.
Other first attempts for the modern Mothers Day holiday began with women’s peace groups. Women who had lost their sons to war would have meetings. This took place between 1970 and 1880, but the observances were limited, and they remained on a local level.
Today Mothers Day is celebrated in different parts of the world on various different days. It is most common in May, but in the United Kingdom it is celebrated as Mothering Sunday in March or April. Other parts of Europe celebrate Mothering Sunday, as well, and, in fact, this day is part of a liturgical calendar for many Christians.
Julia Ward Howe wrote the Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. It was a proclamation that women should be shaping their societies. Howe believed that this should be at a political level.
Mothers Day around the world tended to change and fit the already established customs for certain countries, such as the Virgin Mary day in many Catholic countries. It was also celebrated on the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter’s birthday, is some Islamic countries. Bolivia celebrated the day in recognition of women’s participation in battle. And there are other countries that prefer to celebrate International Women’s Day, instead of the traditional Mothers Day.
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