Each year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, countries around the world celebrate Mothering Sunday.
Mothering Sunday this year is celebrated on Sunday 15 March 2026.
The increasingly commercialised aspects of Mother's Day are well know - giving gifts, spending time with and celebrating the women who have nurtured us throughout our lives. But do you know about some of the traditions that have shaped Mothering Sunday?
The Journey to the Mother Church
In the 16th century, Mothering Sunday was less about mothers and more about church. Back then, people would make a journey to their ‘mother’ church once a year. This might have been their home church, their nearest cathedral or a major parish church in a bigger town. The service which took place at the ‘mother’ church symbolised the coming together of families. This would have represented a significant journey for many.
A day off to visit Mother
Another tradition was to allow those working in the fields on wealthy farms and estates in England to have the day off on the fourth Sunday of Lent to visit their mothers and possibly go to church too. This was a variation on the theme of visiting the 'mother' church and was a move towards a more family focussed occasion. Before the days of cars and roads, family get-togethers were far more rare, (and facetime was still a long way off). In some ways this tradition is still alive today as grown up children often visit their parents on mothering Sunday.
Simnel cake has a strong affiliation to Mothering Sunday as it is usually associated with spring and Easter.
Resources for Mothering Sunday
We know how important mothers, caregivers and grandmothers are and how much they do to help their children, families and communities thrive, often unnoticed and without thanks. Here you can find a selection of Resources for use on Mothering Sunday.
Church of England
A service for Mothering Sunday can be found on the Church of England website (scroll down the page to view).
How to welcome families to church for Mothering Sunday: Ideas and resources to support faith at home before Mothering Sunday and then welcoming families on the day.
Mother's Union
You can find a sermon, prayers and other resources, including for children, on the Mothers’ Union resource pages, which you might like to use. These specially designed resources are created to help honour, support, and encourage mothers and caregivers whilst reflecting on the love and care at the heart of our faith.
Make A Mother's Day is the annual Mothering Sunday fundraising campaign from the Mothers' Union, raising funds to support global community projects which transform lives every day.
Including those for whom Mother's Day is difficult
The church recognises that Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday) can be a difficult day for lots of people. It is common place for services to include prayers for those who don’t find the day particularly easy. When churches handle it sensitively, Mother's Day services can become a comforting and uplifting experience.
You can find Resources for Churches from the Single Friendly Church Network, including suggestions on how to create an inclusive and sensitive service with something for everyone.