His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about Mother’s Day as an occasion to honor mothers and families. The state has made it a Family Day, yet the Pope emphasizes that the mother remains the heart of love and sacrifice — she endured labor, sleepless nights, and unceasing care.

The role and sacrifices of mothers

The mother is the first face and heart a child knows, the first gentle hand and the source of affection and protection. She deserves gratitude, kind words, and loving gestures. Those whose mothers have departed should remember them in prayer and with flowers on their graves.

The mother as teacher of faith

The Pope gives biblical examples: Jochebed, mother of Moses, who instilled faith in him during his early years; Eunice and Lois, the mother and grandmother of Timothy; and the Russian mothers who preserved faith under atheistic regimes.

Mothers of saints

He recalls St. Monica, whose tears brought St. Augustine to repentance; St. Hannah, who dedicated Samuel to God; and the mothers of martyrs, who encouraged their sons to remain steadfast even unto death, trusting in eternal joy with Christ.

The spiritual mother and the Church

The Virgin Mary is the mother of all believers, and the Church is our spiritual mother who gives birth through baptism and nourishes us with the faith. Teachers, nations, and even mothers-in-law can also be regarded as maternal figures in their love and care.

Honoring parents and elders

St. Paul instructed Timothy to treat the elderly as fathers and mothers. The Pope reminds that the first commandment concerning others is: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the earth.”

True forms of honor

True honor is not only in gifts but in behavior:

• Never sitting while parents stand.

• Speaking respectfully and helping with daily tasks.

• Making parents proud through success and good conduct.

The Pope concludes that Mother’s Day is not just one day a year but a reminder of our lifelong duty of love, gratitude, and respect toward parents.

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