雙語：母親節的歷史你知道嗎？

　　Origin of Mother』s Day goes back to the era of ancient Greek and Romans. But the roots of Mother』s Day history can also be traced in UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the light of the day in US. However, the celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old.

　　母親節的起源可以追溯到古希臘和古羅馬時代。但是母親節的歷史也可以追溯到英國——早在美國人慶祝母親節之前，英國就有一個名為「拜望雙親日（Mothering Sunday）」的節日。然而，現今對母親節的慶祝歷史並不長，不超過100年。

　　Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis, the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers』 day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular affair. 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 and well wisher.

　　由於那個時代女性先驅們（例如茱莉亞.沃德.豪和安娜.賈維斯等）的艱苦付出，母親們終於有了自己的節日。今天全世界46個國家都會慶祝母親節（儘管日期可能不同），而這個節日也已經成為了一個非常受歡迎的事件。全球數百萬人都會在這一天向他們的母親表達敬意、感謝她們生養自己、給與自己一貫的支持和祝福。

　　Earliest History of Mothers』 Day

　　一、母親節最早的歷史。

　　The earliest history of Mothers』 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.

　　母親節最早的歷史可以追溯到古希臘人每年春天獻祭母性女神的節日。希臘人在這一天來紀念生育女生瑞亞——在古希臘神話中她是克羅瑞斯的妻子、以及希臘眾神之母。

　　Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour 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.

　　古羅馬同樣也慶祝「春節」，稱之為希萊麗婭奉獻西布莉（古代小亞細亞人崇拜的自然女神，與希臘女神Rhea等同）的節日。值得注意的是，基督誕生250年前就有了紀念西布莉的儀式。慶祝活動通常在三月十五日舉行、持續三天，會在西布莉的神廟裡擺設祭品，並舉行遊行、遊戲和化裝舞會等。但是這個慶祝活動的名聲很不好，以至於西布莉的信徒都被逐出了羅馬。

　　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.

　　早期基督徒會在四月齋的第四個星期日舉行某種類似母親節的慶祝活動，目的是為了紀念耶穌的母親聖母瑪利亞。而在英國，這個節日紀念的所有的母親，隨後被稱之為「拜望雙親日」

　　History of Mother』s Day: Mothering Sunday

　　二、母親節歷史：拜望雙親日。

　　The more recent history of Mothers』 Day dates back to 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.

　　母親節更近一些的歷史要追溯到17世紀的英國。在這裡，每年四月齋（復活節前的40天）的第四個星期日都是「拜望雙親日」，人們會在這一天紀念母親。在教堂舉行完紀念聖母瑪利亞的禮拜儀式之後，孩子們會帶上禮物和鮮花獻給自己的母親。

　　On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honor them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days.

　　在這一天，離家在外的僕人、學徒和其他僱員們都受到僱主的鼓勵回家探望母親。傳統上，孩子們會帶給母親禮物、以及一個特別的水果蛋糕（或者一塊重油水果蛋糕）。南斯拉夫和其他國家的人民都有類似的節日。

　　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 the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales.

　　然而19世紀時，慶祝拜望雙親日的習俗幾乎完全消失了。但是二戰之後人們又重新開始慶祝這個節日，當時美國士兵把這個節日習俗帶回了美國，而企業也將其作為銷售的機會大加推動。

　　History of Mother』s Day: Anna Jarvis

　　三、母親節歷史：安娜.賈維斯。

　　Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers』 Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers』 Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.

　　安娜.賈維斯被美國人視為「母親節之母」。儘管她從未結過婚、也從未有過孩子，但她還是被稱之為「母親節之母」——這是對一位努力為所有母親爭取榮譽的女性的恰當稱謂。

　　To begin with Anna, people send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers』 favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolized a mother』s pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers』 Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother』s Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother』s Day.

　　從安娜開始，人們在西弗吉尼亞的格拉夫頓教堂里獻上康乃馨來紀念自己的母親。康乃馨是安娜母親最喜愛的花，而安娜也覺得這種花象徵著母親純潔的愛。後來安娜及其支持者給當時的當政者寫了信，遊說政府將母親節定位節日。1911年這項艱苦的工作終於有了回報，美國幾乎每個州都會慶祝母親節。而在1914年5月8日，時任總統伍德羅.威爾遜簽署了一項聯合決議，宣布5月第二個星期日為母親節。