Father's Day
Father's Day is a day set aside for honoring one's father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. "Father's Day" complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Mother's Day and, in some countries, Siblings Day, and Grandparents' Day. The day is held on various dates across the world, and different regions maintain their own traditions of honoring fatherhood.
In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the United States, Father's Day was founded in the state of Washington by Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910. Father's Day is a recognized public holiday in Lithuania and some parts of Spain and was regarded as such in Italy until 1977. It is a national holiday in Samoa, and equivalently in South Korea, where it is celebrated as Parents' Day.
History
For centuries, the Eastern Orthodox Church has appointed the second Sunday before Nativity as the Sunday of the Forefathers to commemorate the ancestors of Christ according to the flesh, starting with Adam and emphasizing the patriarch Abraham, to whom God said,This feast can fall between 11 and 17 December. This feast includes the ancestors of Mary, mother of Jesus and various prophets.
A customary day for the celebration of fatherhood in Catholic Europe is known to date back to at least 1508. It is usually celebrated on 19 March, as the feast day of Saint Joseph, who is referred to as the fatherly Nutritor Domini in Catholicism and "the putative father of Jesus" in southern European tradition. This celebration was brought to the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese. The Catholic Church actively supported the custom of a celebration of fatherhood on St. Joseph's Day from either the last years of the 14th century or from the early 15th century, apparently on the initiative of the Franciscans.
In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the celebration of fatherhood is also observed on St Joseph's Day, but the Copts observe this on 20 July. The Coptic celebration may date back to the fifth century.
In the United States, whether to celebrate this day nationwide or not is a matter for debate. In 1908, Grace Golden Clayton proposed the day to honor those men who had died in a mining accident in the US. Though it was not accepted then, in 1909 Sonora Smart Dodd, who along with her five brothers was raised by her father alone, after attending Mother's Day in a church, convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association to celebrate Father's Day nationwide.
In addition to Father's Day, International Men's Day is celebrated in many countries on 19 November in honor of both men and boys.
Spelling
"Father's Day" is spelled as a singular possessive following the precedent established by its predecessor, Mother's Day. In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrase "Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder." Jarvis specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its own mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world."Dates
The following is a list of when Father's Day is celebrated, in order of date of observance.Image:FathersDayDateMap.svg|thumb|upright=1.7|Map of dates when Father's Day is celebrated
African traditions
Algeria
In Algeria, the third Sunday in June is the dedicated day to celebrate the Father's Day.Egypt
In Egypt, Father's Day is celebrated on 21 June of every year.Kenya
In Kenya, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.Morocco
In Morocco, the third Sunday in June is the dedicated day to celebrate the Father's Day.Mozambique
In Mozambique, Father's Day is observed on 19 March every year.Nigeria
In Nigeria, the third Sunday in June is the dedicated day to celebrate Father's Day.Seychelles
In Seychelles, Father's Day is celebrated on 16 June and is not a public holiday.South Africa
In South Africa, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It is not a public holiday.South Sudan
In South Sudan, Father's Day is celebrated on the last Monday of August. President Salva Kiir Mayardit proclaimed it before 27 August 2012. First celebrated on 27 August 2012, Father's Day was not celebrated in South Sudan in 2011.Sudan
In Sudan, Father's Day, is celebrated on 21 June.Asian traditions
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh there is no historical tradition of celebrating Father's Day and has been popularized by Western influences in the country. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, and is not a public holiday. Father's Day was not very popular and had been made more widespread by the Millennial and Generation Z communities all over the country through social media in recent times. Even though many religious families do not celebrate it, it is more widespread than ever. There is a popular phrase used by many parents: "Every day is father's/mother's day, so you shall love your parents everyday." Most people just wish their father a happy father's day, but many people from big cities go to a restaurant to celebrate, and many even have cake. Many others cut the cake at home or order food online. Some children may give small gifts to their father.China
In the People's Republic of China, there is no official Father's Day. Some people celebrate on the third Sunday of June, according to the tradition of the United States. Father's Day is also celebrated in the special administrative regions. In Hong Kong, it is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. In Macau, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.India
Father's Day is not an original custom of India but is rather followed by the influence of the western world. It is observed on the third Sunday of June. This event is not a public holiday. The day is usually celebrated only in larger cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata, Jaipur, Lucknow and others. It is a huge holiday in the North Eastern state of Nagaland and Kerala where prayers are held in church on Sunday Services. After this day was first observed in the United States in 1908 and gradually gained popularity, Indian metropolitan cities, much later, followed suit by recognising this event. In India, the day is usually celebrated with children giving gifts such as greeting cards, electronic gadgets, shirts, gold necklaces, coffee mugs or books to their fathers.Indonesia
In Indonesia, Father's Day is celebrated on 12 November and is not a public holiday. Father's Day in Indonesia was first declared in 2006 in Surakarta City Hall attended by hundreds of people from various community groups, including people from community of inter-religion communication. Because of its recent declaration, there is not much hype about the celebration, compared to the celebration of Mother's Day on 22 December. Google also created its doodle for Indonesia in 2019 and 2020.Iran
In Iran before the revolution, the 24th of Esfand, Reza Shah's birthday, was called Father's Day based on the Iranian calendar. After the revolution of 1979, this day was changed to the 13th of Rajab, the birthday of Ali bin Abi Talib, the first imam of Shiites. Zoroastrians also celebrate Shahrivargan as Father's Day.Israel
In Israel, Father's Day is usually celebrated as part of Family Day on 30 Shevat, though some celebrate on 1 May together with Workers' Day or Labor Day.Japan
In Japan, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday. Common presents are sake, shochu, fashion items, some kinds of gourmet food, sports equipment and various sweets.Kazakhstan
Since 2012, Kazakhstan celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day to commemorate the foundation of the armed forces. It is also called Army Day and it is celebrated on 7 May. Kazakh society perceives it as 'a men's day' and honoring men so it is vaguely a celebration of fathers.Malaysia
In Malaysia, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and is not a public holiday.Mongolia
The Mongolian Men's Association began the celebration of Father's Day on 8 August 2005.Nepal
The Nepalese Hindus as well as the Newars in Nepal honors fathers on the day of Kushe aunsi, which occurs in late August or early September, depending on the year, since it depends on the lunar calendar. According to Hindu calendar, the festival falls on the new moon day of Bhadra month. It is also known as Gokarna Aunsi or Pitri Tirpani Aunsi.In recent years, Nepalese non–Hindus have also adopted the Kushe Aunsi day. It is commonly known as or Abu ya Khwa Swoyegu in Nepal Bhasa. The celebration of the festival has been modernized in some ways in recent years. Children worship their father on this day, put tika on his forehead and give him sweets, delicacies and gifts as a part of celebration. In return, the father blesses good fortune to his children.
On the new moon day, it is traditional to pay respect to one's deceased father; Hindus go to the Shiva temple of Gokarneswor Mahadev, in Gokarna, a suburb of Kathmandu while Buddhists go to Jana Bahal temple in Kathmandu.
Traditionally, in the Kathmandu Valley, the south-western corner is reserved for women and women-related rituals, and the north-eastern is for men and men-related rituals. The worship place for Mata Tirtha Aunsi is located in Mata Tirtha in the south-western half of the valley, while the worship place for Gokarna Aunsi is located in the north-eastern half. This division is reflected in many aspects of the life in the Kathmandu Valley.