母亲节(双语介绍).docxVIP

母亲节（MothersDay），作为一个感谢母亲的节日，最早出现在古希腊，时间是每年的一月八日，而在中国、美国、加拿大和一些其他国家，则是每年5月的第二个星期天，其他一些国家的日期也并不一样。母亲们在这一天通常会收到礼物。康乃馨被视为献给母亲的花。而我国的母亲花是萱草花，又叫忘忧草。

ThemodernMothersDayiscelebratedonvariousdaysinmanypartsoftheworld,mostcommonlyinMarch,April,orMayasadaytohonormothersandmotherhood.

节日起源于古希腊。在这一天，古希腊人向希腊众神之母希布莉（Cybele，宙斯、波塞冬、哈德斯、得墨忒耳、赫拉和赫斯提亚的母亲，故称众神之母）致敬。到古罗马时，这些活动的规模就变得更大，庆祝盛况往往持续达三天之久。当然，古时人们对女神的崇拜只不过是一种迷信，它同今天人们对母性的尊敬是大不相同的。在17世纪中叶，母亲节流传到英国，英国人把封斋期的第四个星期天作为母亲节。在这一天里，出门在外的年轻人将回到家中，给他们的母亲带上一些小礼物。

Thereisevidenceofmothergoddessworshipintheancientworld,datingbackasfaras6.000BC,andmanymothergoddessshrinescouldbefoundinancienttimesinAsiaminor.

AncientGreeceimportedtheMotherGoddesscultfromAsiaMinor,intheformofafestivaltoCybele,agreatmotherofGreekgods.ItwasheldaroundtheVernalEquinoxaroundAsiaMinor.OriginallytheyidentifiedCybelewithRhea,themotherofgods.Thedetailswerenotrecorded,andweonlyknowthatthegoddesswasattendedbygalli.

AncientRomansappropriatedtheculttoCybele/RheainordertoabsorbculturallytheGreeksandthehabitantsofAsiaMinor,honoringCybeleintheHilariafestivals,fromtheIdesofMarch(15March)to18March.ButtheRomanswerehorrifiedbytheGreekcelebrations;theyquicklyassociatedtheculttotheRomanversionofCybeleandtheymadeuptheirowncustoms.TheyalsomadeaseparatefestivalinAprildedicatedtoMagnaDeorumMaterIdaea,aversionofCybelethatwasevenfurtherseparatedfromGreekcustoms.Thetwogoddesses,CybeleandMaterIdaea,wereeventuallymergedintoasingleentitythatwascompletelyRomanized,althoughtheykeptusinggalli.

ThefestivalsofCybeleevolvedintotheChristianfestivalofMotheringSunday,honouringtheVirginMaryandyourmotherchurch(themainchurchofthearea)Itsnowalongstandingtradition,partoftheliturgicalcalendarinseveralChristiandenominations,includingAnglica