From ancient goddesses to peace activists, this is the real reason we should be celebrating Mother's Day

Americans spend about $34 billion on gifts and dining out for Mother's Day. However, the holiday's founder, Anna Jarvis, criticized this focus on spending. She started Mother's Day in 1908 to honor her own mother, Ann Jarvis.

Ann Jarvis was a Civil War-era activist. She created Mothers' Day Work Clubs in West Virginia. These clubs helped families with education and support. During the Civil War, they shifted to promoting peace. They offered food and medical aid to soldiers from both sides. These mothers believed peace was essential for their communities and everyone's well-being.

Mothers as Community Protectors

Honoring motherhood goes beyond just domestic work. For thousands of years, mothers have not only raised children but also protected their communities, especially by advocating for peace.

Ancient texts from the fifth century B.C.E. show mothers promoting peace. In the Greek play "Lysistrata," Athenian women unite to end the Peloponnesian War. The leader argues that women suffer twice as much in war. They bear children only to see them die as soldiers.

In the ancient world, motherhood gave women power within their families and communities. This was especially true if they had a male child. A child provided an heir and ensured the woman would not be rejected for being childless. Classical scholar Florencia Foxley explains that motherhood made a woman a protector of the city. She provided new citizens and soldiers.

Having children also gave women unofficial influence over their husbands' and sons' political choices. The play "Lysistrata" shows this.

The Greek goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, shows this dual role of mothers. She protected children and communities. Hera was worshipped in wedding rituals and oversaw childbirth. She was also the divine protector of the ancient city of Argos.

In Rome, Hera was known as Juno. She was the goddess of marriage (Pronuba) and childbirth (Lucina). Juno was also part of the Capitoline Triad with Jupiter and Minerva, who protected the city. Juno was even credited with saving Rome from an attack by the Gauls in 390 B.C.E. Her sacred geese warned the Romans of the enemy.

Modern Peace Advocacy

Women continue to be powerful advocates for peace and community protectors today. Journalist Margot Adler notes that some neo-pagans believe ancient societies that worshipped mother deities were more peaceful. Today, these worshippers try to revive mother goddess cults. They seek a harmonious way of life. They invoke mother goddesses to promote women's political power, demilitarization, and harmony with nature and world peace.

"Lysistrata" still inspires women's peace advocacy. In 2003, activists Kathryn Blume and Sharron Bower organized over 1,000 readings of "Lysistrata" worldwide in one day. This was to protest the Iraq War.

While the play has humorous and unrealistic elements, it shows that women suffered greatly from war in ancient times, just as they do today. It also highlights women's power for peace. A study by King's College London found that "states where women hold more political power are less likely to go to war and less likely to commit human rights abuses."

Catholics worldwide honor Mary as a mother figure linked to peace and justice. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a popular figure in Mexico and Latin America, especially among Indigenous people.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is shown pregnant. Devotees pray to her for protection and peace. In 1979, Pope John Paul II asked her to "grant peace, justice, and prosperity to our peoples."

Today's Mother's Day celebrations in the U.S. often overlook women's power beyond the home. While raising children and supporting families is vital, Anna Jarvis wanted the day to be broader. She envisioned it as a day to honor women as political and moral leaders, especially as agents of global peace.