October 17th 2010

Mother's Day•Historians believe that our modern

day tradition of honoring our

mothers dates back to the ancient

cultures of Greece and Rome.

•Mother goddesses were worshipped

in both of these cultures during the

spring and in religious festivals.

•The celebration of Mother's Day as a

holiday in the United States is

attributed to Mrs. Anna Jarvis, who

dedicated her life to promoting the

holiday. She was inspired by her own

mother's devotion to the raising of a

family of eleven children.

•On the second anniversary of her

mother's death, the second Sunday in

May, Anna Jarvis convinced her

mother's parish in West Virginia to

hold a celebration of Mother's Day.

•The church was decorated with

her mother's favorite flower, the

white carnation, a symbol of

sweetness, purity and endurance.

•Mother's Day - the day of flowers

The white carnation was originally

worn to symbolize a mother who

has passed away and a red

carnation for one who is living.

•However, many other flowers are now

accepted as being significant on

Mother's Day. In 1910, West Virginia

officially recognized Mother's Day, and

in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson

proclaimed it a national holiday.Mrs. Anna Jarvis

and daughter

Anna Jarvis

•Mother's Day is a holiday celebrated in many

countries around the world, but not all nations

celebrate on the same day.

•In the United States, Mother's Day is always

celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

•Many other countries such as Denmark,

Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia and Belgium

also celebrate Mother's Day on the same day

as the United States.

•England, however, celebrates Mother's Day

on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

•And in Argentina it is the third Sunday in

October.

•International Mother's Day is actually

celebrated on May 11.

•Mother's Day is a time for honoring and

thanking our own mothers for giving us life,

raising us and being a source of emotional

support and love.