Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day! The history of Mother’s Day begins earlier than Julia Ward Howe (1872) or Anna Jarvis and President Wilson’s 1914 national proclamation for observance in the Unites States. In the country of Greece, Mother’s Day (February 2) has long been associated with the Eastern Orthodox Church feast day that commemorates when Jesus was presented at the Temple because their belief is that it was the “Mother of God” who brought him to the Temple. The ancient Romans developed a custom of giving gifts to mothers on a day (“Matronalia”) dedicated to the veneration of Juno (the goddess of protection and counsel). Prior to the Romans, ancient Greeks in Asia Minor developed a kind of mother worship, with Cybele (mother of Greek deities) as the central figure. I am not aware (at this time) whether even earlier civilizations, including Israel during the Bible times, had a special holiday for all moms, with one exception. Adam named his wife “Eve” and Moses carefully notes why, “because she was the mother of all living.” I like that our “Mother’s Day” is not in conjunction with any other celebration or a ruse to honor some man-made deity. Our custom is one day in the year to remember (and express) there isn’t one day in the year that Mothers aren’t special. Happy Mother’s Day!