MIAMI, United States. — Every third Sunday of June is celebrated in many countries of the world Father’s dayholiday in honor of the father or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal ties and the influence of fathers in society.
The idea of a date to celebrate Father’s Day came from the American Sonora Smart Dodd, daughter of William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran who alone and without support took on the task of raising and educating his six children in a farm in eastern Washington state.
As an adult, Sonora Smart Dodd saw in her father a courageous, affectionate and selfless man, who had made all kinds of sacrifices to support his family.
In 1909, the woman, who along with her five siblings was raised only by her father, convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association (city where she lived) to celebrate Father’s Day around the world.
Because William Jackson Smart was born in June, Sonora chose June 19, 1910 as the date to celebrate Father’s Day in honor of his.
Parents’ Day arrived in Cuba at the initiative of Dulce María Borrero de Luján and is still in force today.
It should be noted that Father’s Day is celebrated around the world, albeit on different dates, and that different cultures maintain their own traditions of honoring fatherhood.
In some Catholic countries in Europe, March 19 has been celebrated as St. Joseph’s Day since the Middle Ages. In some Islamic countries it is established following the months of the Islamic calendar.
Father’s Day is a recognized public holiday in Lithuania and some parts of Spain. It is a national holiday in countries as different as Estonia, Samoa and South Korea.
