Mother`s Day

On the second Sunday of May, we honor Mother’s Day — a celebration that unites Ukraine and Japan in a shared expression of respect for those dearest to us.

The history of this day is connected with the name of American public activist Anna Jarvis. In 1908, she initiated the movement to honor mothers and introduced the touching tradition of wearing carnations as a sign of respect: a white flower if one’s mother had passed away, and a colored flower if she was still living.

The holiday received official recognition in 1914. In Ukraine, it has deep roots: in 1928, the Union of Ukrainian Women of Canada began organizing celebrations, and from 1929 the tradition became widespread in Galicia. In 1939, the Soviet authorities banned Mother’s Day, but with Ukraine’s independence, the tradition returned at the national level.

Today, as our country has faced hardship since 2014, and especially since February 2022 due to russia’s full-scale invasion, the image of the Mother has become a symbol of resilience — a guardian who prays and carries the spiritual strength of the nation upon her shoulders.

Japanese culture also deeply honors this day, known as “Haha no Hi.” The tradition came to Japan around 1913, and since 1949 the celebration has been held on the second Sunday of May. In Japan, children give their mothers red carnations, symbolizing purity, tenderness, and devotion.

In Ukrainian tradition, mothers are compared to the viburnum tree or the white lily, and are honored with flowers and heartfelt words of gratitude for the gift of life. For each of us, a mother is the first ray of sunlight, the voice that calms us in the darkest night, and the support that remains steadfast through every storm of life.

Today, Ukrainian mothers show extraordinary courage. Many raise their children under the sound of air raid sirens, others wait for sons and daughters to return from the front lines, and some have themselves taken up the defense of their homeland.

This day is a time for deep prayer for the mothers who have lost what was most precious to them, and for a deep bow of respect to those who continue to give warmth amidst war. Gratitude to a mother is a responsibility born from love — a love stronger than any circumstance.

A mother is the embodiment of selfless sacrifice and faith in the flourishing of life that we continue to fight for together. Every word of support, every warm embrace, and every flower placed into a mother’s hands become part of a great gratitude for her tireless heart, beating in unison with the destiny of her child and her homeland.

This holiday fills our souls with light, reminding us of the eternal values that keep the world in harmony and peace.