Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Sula Indian Restaurant! Here’s a bit of the history of the modern Mother’s Day celebrations.
The origin of Mother’s Day goes back to the era of ancient Greeks and Romans, and the roots of Mother’s Day history can also be traced in the UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before it became a holiday in North America. However, the celebration of the holiday as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old.
Today Mother’s Day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular holiday. Millions of people across the globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them, and being their constant support.
Earliest History of Mother’s Day
The earliest history of Mother’s Day dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.
Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honor of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. The celebration made on the Ides of March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games, and masquerades. The celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome.
Early Christians celebrated a Mother’s Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England, the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday.
The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to the 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in church to honor Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.
The custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought back the custom and commercial enterprises and used it as an occasion for sales.
History of Mother’s Day: Present Day Celebrations
Nowadays Mother’s Day is celebrated in several countries including Canada, India, the US, UK, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, China, Japan, and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support and now there is a tradition of gifting flowers, cards, and others gift to mothers on Mother’s Day.
At Sula Indian Restaurant we strive to create an authentic Indian dining experience that brings joy and happiness to our customers. We use the finest ingredients and the best spices to create flavourful and delicious dishes that are inspired by a holistic approach to food and health.
Make a Reservation today for your Mother’s Day dinner at Sula!
Sula Indian Restaurant in Vancouver also provides Indian food delivery and takeout. Sula is an authentic Indian restaurant that accepts online orders. Sula Wines from Gehringer Brothers Winery are also worth a look.
