The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has issued a directive to move the 2026 Mother’s Day celebration in Nigeria to 19 April across the nation.
Secretary General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Michael A. Banjo, disclosed this in a statement issued on 14 February 2026.
“For the year 2026, the Sunday following the Solemnity of the Annunciation falls on 29th March, which is Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday). Given the solemn and penitential character of this day, it would not be liturgically fitting to observe Mother’s Day at that time,” he said.
Some Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria (CWO) members. Credit: Sonnen Jerome Julian Tarungwa
Fr. Banjo explained that “Moreover, the following Sunday, 5 April 2026 is Easter Sunday, the Solemnity of the resurrection of the Lord, and the first Sunday after Easter 12 April 2026, is Divine Mercy Sunday. Both celebrations, by reason of their particular liturgical character, should retain their exclusive focus.”
He said, in view of the prevailing circumstances, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has directed that the 2026 Mother’s Day in the Catholic Church in Nigeria, is to be uniformly observed on Sunday, 19 April 2026 across the nation.
The Secretary General called on the National President of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Mrs. Elizabeth Olayinka Sonubi, to communicate the CBCN’s directive to the Provincial and Diocesan CWO presidents across Nigeria.
According to him, it is the established practice of the Catholic Church in Nigeria to celebrate Mother’s Day on the Sunday immediately following the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, provided the Solemnity does not occur on a Sunday.
Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates worldwide, but Sunday, 10 May 2026, is referred to as International Mother’s Day because it is observed by over 90 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and India.
While the May date is the most common, many regions follow distinct cultural or religious traditions in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Mothering Sunday is observed on 15 March 2026 which falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
Mother’s Day celebration is marked on 8 February 2026 (the second Sunday of February) Norway.
In the Middle East and Arab World, auspicious occasion takes place on the 21 March 2026 which coincides with the spring equinox.
For the Balkans and Former Soviet States, Mothering Sunday often coincides with International Women’s Day on 8 March 2026 unlike the US, Mexico where it is celebrated on a fixed date (10 May) every year.
For French and Swedish Mother’s, the event occurs on the 31 May 2026 being the last Sunday of May.
In South-East Asia especially Thailand, Mother’s Day falls on the 12 August 2026 which coincides with the birthday of Queen Mother Sirikit.
The event which was celebrated on the Sunday after 25 March (The Annunciation) in the past was moved to 19 April due to the importance of Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations.
