Long tradition for Mom's Day

TRIBUTES TO mothers have been
paid since antiquity.

Observance -of Mother’s Day
now occurs on the second Sunday
in May in many countries around
the world. This is largely due to
the efforts of an American — An-
na Jarvis,— who, though not a
mother herself, campaigned vigor-
ously in the States during the early
1900’s to have a special day desig-
nated in honor of mothers.

Anna Jarvis won a proclamation
by U.S. President Woodrow
Wilson in 1914 that touched hearts

. worldwide.

Mothers were honored other-
wise, however, for centuries prior
to'the Wilson proclamation. An-

cient history contains many exam-,

“ ples of mother worship and mother
goddesses.
In 204 B.C., at the time Han-
nibal invaded Italy, for example,
the oracles were asked what should

be done to stop the approaching ©

calamity. It was declared that a-
foreign foe could only be driven
out of Italy if the Idaean Mother
were brought to the scene.

This goddess, embodied in a
small black meteorite, was install-
ed in the temple of victory on the
Palantine and remained there unti!
Hannibal left for Africa, the crisis
over.,

In: ancient Greece,
Mother of the gods, was honored

with | rites: which were held in:

- woods and fields in Sprisig. This

(practice ‘was introduced :to Rome.’

‘in about 250 B.C. when; during
the festival of Hilaria held in
honor of Cybele (Rhea), people
would: feast and dance for three
days. :
MOTHERING SUNDAY
The’ spread. of Christianity
changed these tributes dramatically

Cybele, ;

They cost a guinea and were so
large and hard it was rumored
some mothers new to the tradition
thought the cakes were footstools.

On Mothering: Sunday it was
necessary for the sonsjand daugh-
lers to attend to the household
duties and to prepare the|dinner so
that the mother could 30 to the

t : a

sy i

FRE

morning church service.

England was really observing a
Mother's: Day long’ before the
present-day holiday was establish-
ed. The observance of Mothering
Sunday still persists in certain parts
of western England and simnel
cakes are still specially made and
sold for the occasion. .

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‘in later “centuries, adding ‘a’ new’

dimension of ‘dignity and some
solemnity. For years ‘a holiday’
honoring mothers was ‘observed by
an ecclesiastical order on_ St.
-Anne’s Day (mother of the Virgin
Mary)...

It came on the fourth Sunday i in
Lent, but later the gentry discon-
tinued its celebration, although the
clergy encouraged i its observance,

In the 17th century it was the

custom for, young people who had
to live away, from home,’ appren- |

ticed or in domestic service, to go
‘home ‘on’ the - fourth Sunday . in
Lent to visit ‘their mother church. |

At that time the boys and ‘girls : '

also -had'a chance to see their own
mothers,
‘ents to them as well as to the altar.

- Reserve Now for
". Mother’s Day
‘Brunch

and they brought pres- |

Mid-Lent Sunday, as it was called, :-:
became more popularly known as.

Mothering Sunday.

‘ The traditional gift for this early J

- version. of Mother’s Day was a
’ simnel cake, a rich plum’ pudding
baked ‘in a hard crust of fine flour’
and” water.. These ‘cakes were often
enormous and hard as rocks.

‘They’ were supposed to’ ‘have
been invented: by’a pair of bakers
‘named Simon: and, Nelly (hence.
- sim- ¢nel) ‘who ‘were. always: at cross;

purposes, so they. criss-crossed the! ,

HOPS 0 of the cakes with markings.

“EXERCISE.
‘REGULARLY

‘

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681-0221 ,

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