Mother's Day 2023 : Date, History, Significance and all you need to know

Representational Pic. iStock

Mother's Day is celebrated each year on the second Sunday of May. While some countries celebrate the occasion on different dates, in India and some countries including India, United States of America (USA), Canada, Australia and New Zealand, May's second Sunday is celebrated as Mother's Day.

This year, Mother's Day will be celebrated on May 14, which is the second Sunday of May 2023.

It is reportedly said that in the ancient times, the Greeks and Romans held festivals in honour of mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. While we can trace the history back to olden times, the modern Mother's Day version finds its roots in the early 20th century in the USA.

Anna Jarvis, an American activist, wanted to celebrate the day for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, who worked as a community health advocate. It is said that she was so inspired by her mother's tireless work, her sacrifices and her role in community service, Anna began a campaign for a national day of recognition for mothers.

Mother's Day 2023: Famous Indian politicians and their mothers; see pics

She was successful in her endeavour and the day became an official holiday in the US in 1914 when Woodrow Wilson - the 28th President of the United States of America - signed a proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

The modern holiday was first celebrated in 1907, when Anna Jarvis held the first Mother's Day service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia.

In 1908, the U.S. Congress had reportedly rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday. But, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all U.S. states observed the holiday, with some of them officially recognising Mother's Day as a local holiday.