母親節的傳統起源于古希臘，在一月八日這一天，古希臘人向希臘眾神之母瑞亞致敬。到古羅馬時，這些母親節活動的規模就變得更大，慶祝盛況往往持續達三天之久。

　　母親節的起源 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.

　　母親節的起源中文版

　　在美國,人們在五月的第二個星期天慶祝母親節。在這一天，孩子們把卡片，禮物和鮮花獻給他們的母親。第一次慶祝母親節是發生在 1907 年的費城，是由朱莉婭•瓦德•豪和安妮塔•賈威斯分別在 1872 年和 1907 年提議設立的。

　　雖然美國直到 1907 年才慶祝母親節，但是尊敬母親的節日甚至可以追溯到古希臘。盡管那時人們是慶祝上帝的母親羅伊的。

　　后來, 在 17 世紀初的英格蘭，人們有一個慣例，就是在每年六月的第四個星期天慶祝“省親節”。在省親節那一天, 通常與雇主住在一起的仆人了, 被勸說回家和他們的母親團聚。按照慣例，他們要帶一塊特殊的蛋糕回家慶祝。

　　在美國, 1907 年有一個來自費城的叫阿納•賈維斯的人，發起了一場建立全國的母親節的運動。在西弗吉尼亞的格拉夫頓，賈維斯說服了她母親的教堂，在她母親去世 2 周年的紀念日那一天慶祝母親節，即五月的第二個星期天。下一年費城也慶祝了母親節。

　　賈維斯和其它人開始給部長，商人，以及政治家們寫信，要求建立全國性的母親節。他們取得了成功。1914 年在任的伍德羅•威爾森總統，向全國發布官方通告，宣布在每年五月的第二個星期天慶祝母親節，并使之成為一種傳統。

　　世界上許多其它國家在全年的不同時間慶祝他們自己的母親節。丹麥，芬蘭，意大利，土耳其，澳大利亞，以及比利時同美國一樣，在五月的第二個星期天慶祝母親節。

　　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月的第二個星期日是母親節，世界各地都舉行慶祝活動，以頌揚母愛的偉大。

　　或許你不知道，母親節的倡議起源于美國西弗吉尼亞州嘉芙頓城的一家主日學校。

　　1876 年，美國還在悲悼南北戰爭的死者。安娜•查維斯夫人(Anna Jarvis)在禮拜堂講授美國國殤紀念日的課程，講到戰役中捐軀的英雄故事后，她進行祈禱時說：“但愿在某處、某時，會有人創立一個母親節，紀念和贊揚美國與全世界的母親。”

　　查維斯夫人為她的禮拜堂服務超過 25 年，當她在 72 歲逝世時，41歲的女兒安娜，立志創立一個母親節，來實現母親多年前祈求的心愿。

　　安娜先后寫信給許多有名望的人物，要求他們支持設立母親節，以發揚孝道，初時反應冷淡，但她不氣餒，繼續向各界呼吁。

　　1907 年 5 月 12 日，安德烈衛理教堂應安娜之邀為母親們舉行一個禮拜儀式。隔年，此儀式在費城舉行，反應熱烈，終于獲得維州州長支持，并于1910年宣布在該州設立母親節。

　　接著，美國多個州和加拿大、墨西哥等先后對母親節給予認可，舉行慶祝儀式。

　　到了 1914 年，美國總統威爾遜提請國會通過決議案，將母親節定為全美國的節日，并促請人們“公開表示我們對母親的敬愛”。世界各地相繼仿效，遂成為“國際母親節”。

　　安娜原建議以她母親的逝世日 5 月 10 日作為母親節的日期，但后為方便人們共敘天倫，便選定在五月份的第二個星期日為母親節。