Our American holiday known as Mother's Day is credited to Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, who never married and never had children, still had a fierce devotion to her own mother and began a national campaign to establish a national Mother's Day, beginning first in her own church, and then moving outward into others. She was inspired by her own mother saying "that it would be nice if someone created a memorial to mothers".
Three years after her mother died in 1905, she organized the first official mother's day service at a church where her mother had spent more than 20 years teaching Sunday school. By 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
Today, over 100 years later, the former Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church is considered the official shrine to mothers around the world. So, today as the shrine celebrates this anniversary, each mother will be given a white carnation...Jarvis's pick of the 'official' Mother's Day flower...her mother's favorite.
What is most interesting, is that while Anna Jarvis was passionately devoted to the idea of celebrating an official Mother's Day, she was also just as passionately against its commercialization!!
She detested store bought cards and believed that gifts should be individualized. She felt the era of the 'true' mother was rapidly disappearing and was adamant about the day as a celebration of the 19th century ideal.
She became well known for scathing letters in which she not only berated those who bought their cards but for whom the holiday simply had become an opportunity to sell cards, candy and flowers.
Before she died in 1948, she actually protested a Mother's Day celebration in New York and was arrested for disturbing the peace!
Like her own mother, Ann (a celebrated community activist) Anna Jarvis believed in her ideals and was willing to fight for them to the very end!
So, in honor of Mother's everywhere, for our mothers and our mother's mothers, for our daughters and our daughter-in-laws, and all who are or will be mothers, and for those who choose to mother other's women's children when they do not mother their own.
And always keep in mind, that the 'original' mother's day, is most likely linked to the ancient customs of mother worship in Greece. So, it's no wonder that many feel great admiration for their own mothers! After all, the very word "religion" actually means "to link back!"
We link back to ancient times, customs and traditions and we incorporate them just as ancient civilizations..whether for traditional or political reasons..did the same to bring people together and to allow their beliefs to merge.
In such very different ways but still with honor and respect and love, the mother has been important to mankind. From the earth mother, to the Virgin Mary, to mothers of all kinds..we honor her now, rather than 'worship' her as ancient cultures might have done.
Mother worship involved the deification of the Earth Mother, Cybele (in Phrygian mythology) or Rhea (her Minoan counterpart.) The Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to their goddess Juno, but where one's own mother was also given a gift.
Like Gaia (perhaps our closest version of Mother Earth), Cybele, Rhea and Juno all embodied the fertile earth, the caverns and mountains, nature and all wild animals. And Spring, with all of its symbols of life, death and birth, became the time of the entity and deity of the 'Great Mother'. As with many ancient rites and traditions, the peoples of the British Isles transposed all of the more pagan deifications into more acceptable Christian forms.
It wasn't until the 1600's, that England celebrated a day called 'Mothering Sunday.' All servants would be given the day off, encouraged to return to their own homes and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called a 'mothering cake' was served.
In the United States, an official Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by social activist, Julia Ward Howe. As an abolitionist, pacifist, suffragette, and the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", she wrote her now famous Mother's Day Proclamation as a reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War.
Her proclamation was tied to her belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level. And she called upon them as women, as mothers, to make a difference in the political climate of the era, by rising up in support of peace.
Happiest of Mother's Days!
And for those of us, like myself who treasure the memories in place of still having our mothers with us, our mother's really and truly are always with us in our heart. Share that heart with another today, just as your mother shared hers with you.
Happy Mother's Day Love to Mother's Everywhere
Links for creating lovely gifts ideas for Mother's Day:
With Heart and Hands: Links: 2,500 3500 4500 over 5000 Free Quilt Patterns!
Making Fidget Quilts, Aprons, Pillows, Bags for Alzheimer's Patients:
Free Tutorials and Ideas 2017
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Free Redwork and Embroidery Patterns
Making a Quillow
How to Make a Quillow
...and fold it back into a pillow!
(No time for a quilt? Make a Flillow!.......a Fleece Blanket + Pillow ;)
With Heart and Hands: Free Sewing Accessories Patterns
*Free Heart Themed Quilt Patterns
Free Heart Quilt Patterns and Other Valentine Projects
How To Make a Heart Potholder
Burrito or Magic Pillowcase Patterns
Making a Coffee Press Wrap
Kitchen Quilts: Make a Scrappy Potholder
How To Make a Heart Potholder
Free Apron Patterns: Updated 2015
Free Bag Tutorials: Wallets, Purses, Cases, Boxes, and Handbag Patterns:Updated 2017
Making Prayer Flags
2 comments:
Just look at this generous post!!! Nice to see a post from you. hugs from Charlotte..xxoo
Thanks Diane!! Still reading everything everywhere. Fewer posts here..started this in 2006! Lots of time with my precious grands..3 under 2! Thinking of you with yours. Potholder therapy for the rest of life!
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