母亲节的传统起源于古希腊，在一月八日这一天，古希腊人向希腊众神之母瑞亚致敬。到古罗马时，这些母亲节活动的规模就变得更大，庆祝盛况往往持续达三天之久。

　　母亲节的起源 History of Mother′s Day

　　In the U.S. Mothers' Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May. It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and flowers. First observance in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1907, it is based on suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and by Anna Jarvis in 1907. Although it wasn't celebrated in the U.S. until 1907, there were days honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days, however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was given honor.

　　Later, in the 1600's, in England there was an annual observance called "Mothering Sunday." It was celebrated during June, on the fourth Sunday. On Mothering Sunday, the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.

　　In the U.S., in 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. 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. The next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

　　Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. They were successful. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national observance that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

　　Many other countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May, as in the U.S.

　　母亲节的起源中文版

　　在美国,人们在五月的第二个星期天庆祝母亲节。在这一天，孩子们把卡片，礼物和鲜花献给他们的母亲。第一次庆祝母亲节是发生在 1907 年的费城，是由朱莉娅•瓦德•豪和安妮塔•贾威斯分别在 1872 年和 1907 年提议设立的。

　　虽然美国直到 1907 年才庆祝母亲节，但是尊敬母亲的节日甚至可以追溯到古希腊。尽管那时人们是庆祝上帝的母亲罗伊的。

　　后来, 在 17 世纪初的英格兰，人们有一个惯例，就是在每年六月的第四个星期天庆祝“省亲节”。在省亲节那一天, 通常与雇主住在一起的仆人了, 被劝说回家和他们的母亲团聚。按照惯例，他们要带一块特殊的蛋糕回家庆祝。

　　在美国, 1907 年有一个来自费城的叫阿纳•贾维斯的人，发起了一场建立全国的母亲节的运动。在西弗吉尼亚的格拉夫顿，贾维斯说服了她母亲的教堂，在她母亲去世 2 周年的纪念日那一天庆祝母亲节，即五月的第二个星期天。下一年费城也庆祝了母亲节。

　　贾维斯和其它人开始给部长，商人，以及政治家们写信，要求建立全国性的母亲节。他们取得了成功。1914 年在任的伍德罗•威尔森总统，向全国发布官方通告，宣布在每年五月的第二个星期天庆祝母亲节，并使之成为一种传统。

　　世界上许多其它国家在全年的不同时间庆祝他们自己的母亲节。丹麦，芬兰，意大利，土耳其，澳大利亚，以及比利时同美国一样，在五月的第二个星期天庆祝母亲节。

　　on the second Sunday is Mother's Day, held all over the world to celebrate the activities to celebrate the great maternal love.

　　Perhaps you do not know, Mother's Day initiative originated in the United States, West Virginia, Catherine Lord, a Dayton City School Day.

　　In 1876, the Civil War the United States still mourn the dead. Chavez, Mrs. Anna (Anna Jarvis) taught at the Chapel of Remembrance Day American curriculum, talked about the battle of the heroes who died in the story, she prayed, said: "I hope that somewhere, sometime, someone will create a Mother's Day, to commemorate and pay tribute to the mother of the United States and all over the world. "

　　Mrs. Chavez Her Chapel Service for over 25 years, at 72 years old when she died, 41

　　Year-old daughter, Anna, determined to create a Mother's Day, to realize his mother many years ago, the desire to pray.

　　Anna has written to the lot of famous people, asking them to support the establishment of Mother's Day, to promote filial piety, initially lukewarm, but she was not discouraged, to continue to appeal to all walks of life.

　　May 12, 1907, Andrea Anna Methodist church at the invitation should be for mothers to hold a worship ceremony. The following year, this ceremony was held in Philadelphia, met with enthusiastic response, he finally won Virginia governor support, and in 1910 the state announced the establishment of Mother's Day.

　　Then, a number of American states and Canada, Mexico and so on Mother's Day has given recognition ceremony held to celebrate.

　　By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson brought to the United States Congress passed a resolution will be scheduled for Mother's Day holiday for the whole of the United States, and urged people to "openly express our beloved mother." Around the world soon follow suit, thus become the "International Mother's Day." Anna the original proposal to the death of her mother's day May 10 as the date of Mother's Day, but after it convenient for people to Tianlun, then selected in May at the second Sunday of Mother's Day.

　　5月的第二个星期日是母亲节，世界各地都举行庆祝活动，以颂扬母爱的伟大。

　　或许你不知道，母亲节的倡议起源于美国西弗吉尼亚州嘉芙顿城的一家主日学校。

　　1876 年，美国还在悲悼南北战争的死者。安娜•查维斯夫人(Anna Jarvis)在礼拜堂讲授美国国殇纪念日的课程，讲到战役中捐躯的英雄故事后，她进行祈祷时说：“但愿在某处、某时，会有人创立一个母亲节，纪念和赞扬美国与全世界的母亲。”

　　查维斯夫人为她的礼拜堂服务超过 25 年，当她在 72 岁逝世时，41岁的女儿安娜，立志创立一个母亲节，来实现母亲多年前祈求的心愿。

　　安娜先后写信给许多有名望的人物，要求他们支持设立母亲节，以发扬孝道，初时反应冷淡，但她不气馁，继续向各界呼吁。

　　1907 年 5 月 12 日，安德烈卫理教堂应安娜之邀为母亲们举行一个礼拜仪式。隔年，此仪式在费城举行，反应热烈，终于获得维州州长支持，并于1910年宣布在该州设立母亲节。

　　接着，美国多个州和加拿大、墨西哥等先后对母亲节给予认可，举行庆祝仪式。

　　到了 1914 年，美国总统威尔逊提请国会通过决议案，将母亲节定为全美国的节日，并促请人们“公开表示我们对母亲的敬爱”。世界各地相继仿效，遂成为“国际母亲节”。

　　安娜原建议以她母亲的逝世日 5 月 10 日作为母亲节的日期，但后为方便人们共叙天伦，便选定在五月份的第二个星期日为母亲节。