母亲节正式被庆祝的历史，至今虽然才八十多年，但是，专门找一天来表达对妈妈崇高孙散槐敬意的观念，却可以追溯到很久以前。古代的希腊人和罗马人都会举行「春季节日」，以表达他们对「母亲神」〈泛指女性神〉的崇敬。 后来，在中古世纪的英国，四旬斋〈为纪念耶稣在荒郊的禁食，而举行的绝食斋戒或忏悔的宗教活动，时间大致在每年的二月底至四月初〉的第四个星期日，就是所谓的『母亲日』。那一天，长大的孩子，必须带著礼物回家，送给自己的妈妈。 为提倡和平，女作家建议订定母亲节 在美国，以写「共和国战歌」而闻名的女作家朱莉亚?瓦德?霍耶，曾建议在六月中选定某一天为「母亲节」。由於美国内战的爆发，许多母亲尝到战争的恐怖，及失去爱子的痛苦，朱莉亚极力鼓吹订定一个节日以提倡和平。她的建议只有少数几个地方采行而已。 不久，一名叫贾薇丝太太的美国人，在西维吉尼亚州的格拉夫顿家乡，筹组一个委员会，赞助「母亲友谊日」的活动。这个节日的目的是为了把东部各州，那些曾在内战当中，为南北双方作战的家庭结合起来。贾薇丝太太的计划虽然获得当地的支持，但是母亲节的构想，却一直到她过世以后才真正实现。 安娜继承遗志 实现母亲理想 贾薇丝太太於一九○五年的五月九日〈当月的第二个星期日〉死於费城；她是一名寡妇，跟著儿子克劳德及两个女儿—艾尔辛诺和安娜住在一起；克劳德是个成功的商人，艾尔辛诺则几乎双眼失明。 安娜一直都很敬爱自己的母亲，因此在妈妈死后，她就想找个方法，以表达对母亲永恒的敬意，同时延续母亲制定母亲节的构想。 一九○七年，她写信给格拉夫顿教堂的牧师，请他为已逝世两周年的妈妈做个特别的追思礼拜。当天，安娜捐赠了五百朵妈妈生前最喜欢的花—白色的康乃馨，送给所有参加仪式的小孩和母亲。 第二年，教堂便正式宣布，贾薇丝太太逝世的三周年忌日为母亲节。但是当天她却没有出席，因为她正在费城忙著组织一个母亲节委员会。 发起写信运动 制定母亲节为国定假日 在该委员会的协助下，安娜开始发动大规模的写信运动。她写信给数以百计的教堂、商业领袖、报纸编辑、政治家等，要求他们加入制定母亲节为国定假日的活动。 一九一○年，西维吉尼亚州州长回应了她的请求，并发表第一个母亲节的宣言，要求所有的西维吉尼亚人，在五月的第二个星期日，佩带白色的康乃馨上教堂。而奥克拉荷马州及华盛顿州，也在掘慎那一年开始庆祝母亲节。到一九一一年，母亲节的礼拜活动便在全美各州举行。 国会通过决议 订五月第二个星期日为母亲节 欣喜万分的安娜，决定组织「母亲节国际协会」，於是从一九一二年则友开始，她把全部的时间和精力，全部奉献在提倡母亲节的活动上。她的努力，终於在一九一四年的五月八日开花结果，因为国会通过一项联合决议，要求美国人在那一年五月的第二个星期日悬挂国旗，以表达对全美国母亲无比的尊敬和爱意。第二天早上，安娜成为美国白宫的客人，亲眼看著威尔逊总统签署这项决议，总统同时还把那只签署的笔送给安娜。 到了一九二○年代，安娜已经把母亲节这个观念，深植在其他的四十三个国家。 友人为安娜解决晚年困境 安娜一直跟哥哥克劳德住在费城，两人一起照顾双目已经完全失明的爱尔辛诺。克劳德在一九二六年去世时，把全部的财产留给两个姊妹。她原本以为，这些财产足够让他们度过余生，但是三○年代的经济大恐慌，却使那些财产的价值贬得所剩无几。 到了一九四○年代，安娜已经一文不名，而且，像爱尔辛诺一样，几乎全盲，她再也没有力气和视力来写信了。一九四三年十一月的某一天，她来到费城的大众医院，要求医院以慈善的名义收容她。安娜的朋友听到她的困境后，立刻安排她住进一家私人疗养院，接受妥善的照顾。 那一年稍后，安娜的朋友，又写信给各州州长，要求他们再次宣布母亲节的庆典仪式。许多州长都有所回应，并且还答应每年母亲节的时候，他们都会特别宣告一次，以表示对这个节日的重视。 一九四八年十一月二十四日，八十四岁的安娜死於疗养院内。今天，每年的母亲节，美国总统都会重新宣告这个节日的重要性，以纪念这位几乎是独自创立这个国际性节日的伟大女性——安娜玛莉薇丝；而其他各国，也在当天纷纷举办各种节目活动，庆祝母亲节。母亲节的由来 来历 英文版The history of Mother's Day The earliest Mother's Day celebrations are traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday", celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent . "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England. During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch. As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" -- the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration . People began honoring their mothers as well as the church. In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe as a day dedicated to peace. In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia. Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful, by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May. While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May. Richer Than Gold -- Strickland Gillilan (1869-1954) I had a mother who read me things That wholesome life to the boy heart brings -- Stories that stir with an upward touch, Oh, that each mother of boys were such! You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be -- I had a mother who read to me.
