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→Early Origin of Mother's Day
The popularity of Mother's Day, or the celebration of motherhood, continued into the Christian Era. In fact, many aspects of sacred motherhood, associated with earlier religions, were ascribed to the Virgin Mary. The fourth Sunday of the Lent season was often reserved to remember the Virgin Mary and also to bless motherhood and mothers, which is the day that became known as Mothering Sunday in Christian Europe (Figure 1). Similar to the pre-Christian traditions, this was used as a way to pray for the safety and health of mothers in particular due to the difficulties of childbearing. Thus, traditionally in Catholic and even Protestant countries that adopted the tradition, Mothering Sunday was celebrated exactly three weeks before Easter. This explains why Europe often has a different date in celebrating Mother's Day, which Mothering Day later transformed to.<ref>For more on celebrations of Mothering Sunday, see: Ozihel, Harding. (2011). <i>Mothering Sunday</i>. Frac Press.</ref>
In 16th century period, Mothering Sunday became associated with people returning to their mother church. Symbols that were associated with the Virgin Mary, during the Protestant Reformation, led to alternative symbolism on for Mothering Sunday. In Protestant Europe, this meant the church became the mother of its flock and people. People would then return to their home churches on Mothering Sunday.<ref>For more on the tradition of returning to your mother church, see: Keene, M. (1998). <i>Introducing Christianity</i>. Berkhamsted: Arthur James.</ref>
[[File:1755212 ac630ac2.jpg|thumbnail|Figure 1. Mothering Sunday is a popular holiday in Catholic and Protestant countries in Europe.]]
