Mother’s Day

Mothering Sunday, more commonly known as Mother’s Day, is observed in The UK every year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, which means it is a moveable feast. As such it is always three weeks before Easter Sunday.

It is a day for celebrating #Mothers and showering them with gifts and treats.

The origins of Mothering Sunday

Celebrations of motherhood go back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Greeks had festivals honouring Rhea and Cybele, known as the mother goddesses, and the Romans celebrated mothers during the festival of Hilaria.

The roots of Mothering Sunday can be found in the church. It was originally a day when Christians would return to their ‘mother’ church, the church in their hometown, or where their family worshiped. As such it also became a time when wealthy landowners would give their younger servants the day off so that they could go home to attend church with their families.

In time, it evolved to become a church celebration of mothers and #Motherhood. It was a day when the church would pray for mothers and hand out flowers, commonly daffodils, to not only the mothers in the church but all women. It also became a more secular occasion, a time when people would not return home to attend church, but return home to spend time with their mothers.

No matter whether the day is referred to as #MotheringSunday or as #MothersDay, the principle message remains the same, respect and appreciate your mother and other women in your life who have helped you to become the person you are.