Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, the "mother church" of

Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in Mar ...

, was incorporated as the International Mother's Day Shrine on May 15, 1962, as a shrine to all mothers. It is best known for being the place that Anna Jarvis conceived of the idea of Mother's Day. The church is located along Main Street in downtown Grafton in Taylor County,

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

. The church building is dedicated to Edward Gayer Andrews, a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

, who presided over the dedication service on 16 March 1873. The International Mother's Day Shrine was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

October 5, 1992. Its location is approximately one mile south of the junction of

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

and U.S. Route 119. The shrine holds a Mother's Day liturgy annually and is open by appointment, as well as being available for wedding services and tour groups.

Dedication of Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church

Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church is dedicated to Edward Gayer Andrews, a

of the

, who presided over the dedication service on 16 March 1873. In 1903, stained glass windows supplanted the plain glass windows installed when the church was constructed. Christian sacred art by George Blaney that portrays the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane furnishes the

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

The Founding of Mother's Day

Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church is most noted for holding the first official celebration of Mother's Day in 1908. Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, conceived the idea as a way to venerate "a mother's private service to her family." This reflected Anna's desire to use Mother's Day as a sentimental way to remember her own mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, following her mother's death in 1905. Following the original celebrations of Mother's Day in 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia and

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Jarvis' holiday quickly gained support across America. Jarvis campaigned for recognition of Mother's Day as an official holiday. Anna chose the second Sunday in May as the annual date for the holiday because, in 1908, it had marked the anniversary of her mother's death. The white

carnation ''Dianthus caryophyllus'' ( ), commonly known as carnation or clove pink, is a species of ''Dianthus'' native to the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean region. Its exact natural range is uncertain due to extensive cultivation over the last 2,00 ...

became a symbol of the day, and was selected by Jarvis to honor her mother's favorite flower. The celebration also extended to many foreign countries within only a few years of its conception. In 1914, President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

proclaimed that flags be flown "on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country." The 1914 proclamation by Wilson represents a victory for Jarvis, since it recognized her holiday and mothers across America. The year 2014 represents the 100th anniversary of Wilson's proclamation and the official national recognition of Mother's Day as a holiday. The International Mother's Day Shrine in Grafton, West Virginia holds special commemorations and events in recognition of this anniversary.

International Mother's Day

The adoption of Mother's Day spread quickly internationally. By the third call for a Mother's Day celebration by Anna Jarvis in 1909, "forty-five states,

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

" participated with celebrations on the second Sunday in May. The rapid adoption of Mother's day by other nations surprised Jarvis, who stated, "Where it will end must be left for the future to tell. That it will girdle the globe seems now certain." Jarvis foresaw the international appeal of Mother's Day and believed the celebration and honor would be adopted around the globe. In May 1932, Mother's Day was even adopted in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, after 19 years of observance by Christians, showing the wide reach of Anna Jarvis and the embracement of Mother's Day internationally. The international spread and adoption of Mother's Day creates a larger international connection for the Shrine.

Notes

External links

Grafton's 150th CelebrationNational Park Service's National Historic Landmarks Program
* {{National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Methodist churches in West Virginia Buildings and structures in Taylor County, West Virginia Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Churches completed in 1873 Methodism in North America Museums in Taylor County, West Virginia Religious museums in West Virginia History museums in West Virginia Romanesque Revival church buildings in West Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Taylor County, West Virginia National Historic Landmarks in West Virginia Methodist Episcopal churches in the United States Museums on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia

Dedication of Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church

The Founding of Mother's Day

International Mother's Day

See also

Notes

External links