Mother’s Day 2025: How the celebration of motherhood was established

The second Sunday in May is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Greece and many other countries. This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 11.

In Greece, the tradition initially linked Mother’s Day to the Feast of the Lord’s Supper, observed on February 2. This occasion commemorates the Virgin Mary and Joseph presenting their 40-day-old son, Jesus, at the Temple for a blessing—an act that continues to resonate with Christian mothers today.

The modern observance of Mother’s Day began in 1929, rich with symbolism. However, during the 1960s, awareness of this celebration dwindled, leading to the adoption of the Westernized custom of honoring mothers on the second Sunday in May, aligning Greece with other European nations and the United States.

The Origins of Mother’s Day Celebration

The contemporary observance of Mother’s Day was established in the 20th century in the United States. In 1865, American activist Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis initiated a movement called Mothers Friendships Day, along with gatherings termed Mothers Day Meetings, where mothers came together to share ideas and experiences.

In 1870, Julia Ward Howe organized a peace gathering for mothers under the slogan of “peace and motherhood,” advocating against sending children off to war.