Chapter  •  Council  •  Commandery

FROM COMMANDERY No. 2

Happy Father’s Day From Around The World

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Companions, an honorable day is approaching to remember and be thankful for our fathers. Father's Day is a celebration that honors the role of fathers and forefathers.

It is a modern holiday, though the ancient Romans did have a tradition of honoring fathers every February, but only those who had died.

Around the world, Father's Day is celebrated on different dates, usually involving giving gifts to fathers and family activities. The most popular date for Father's Day is the third Sunday in June.

This date was first observed in the USA and has since been adopted by many countries. In Spain, Italy, and Portugal, Father's Day is celebrated on March 19th, which is the Feast of St. Joseph, who is the patron saint of fathers.

In Germany, Father's Day is celebrated on the same date as Ascension Day. Across Scandinavia, the tradition of Father's Day was adopted in the 1930s.

The American date was used first, but in 1949, the Nordic countries decided to move it to the second Sunday in November. This was due to placing it half a year away from Mother's Day, but it was also chosen to increase sales in an otherwise quiet trading period before Christmas.

The only country that didn't follow was Denmark. Father's Day in Denmark remained on the same day as their June Holiday, called Constitution Day. In Taiwan, Father's Day is celebrated on August 8th.

The Chinese number eight is "ba," and the word for father is "ba-ba" - so the eighth day of the eighth month sounds similar to "daddy." China changed the date to the third Sunday in June.

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The first Father's Day in June was celebrated on June 19th, 1910, in Spokane, WA. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended the day as a national holiday.

President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June in 1966, though the day was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

Companions, Happy Father’s Day to you and your families!

Hope you enjoy this day of remembrance of what they have done for us, and share this moment with others, and simply say Thank You for being You!

Jesse Solis-Jacques

Commander

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