Artz of Mothers

With Mother’s Day right around the corner I thought we could focus on Mothers.

In 1908 Anna Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia celebrated her mother with a memorial and the idea of Mother’s Day was born. She took her campaign on tour and by 1912 her idea for this special day was accepted. U.S President Woodrow Wilson made the holiday the second Sunday in May known as Mother’s Day official by law.

The fourth Sunday during the season of lent is known as Laetare Sunday. It was during the sixteenth century on this Sunday that people would return to their “mother” church or the closest large church or Cathedral.  The term used to describe what these people did every year was a-mothering. As in “ Lord Myron has gone a-mothering today.” The Sunday became known as Mothering Sunday.

The Romans celebrated Hilaria a spring festival to honor Cybele the mother of all the gods.

                                           Cybele - a fountain in Madrid

In Ethiopia a feast is held as part of  Antrosht  a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.

In Thailand Mother’s Day is celebrated on the same day as the birthday of the Queen.

Ancient Germanic and Cletic people celebrated Modraniht known as Mother’s Night.

This week join us in celebrating the Artz of Mothers.