Father’s Day will be celebrated in Spain on March 19

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The celebration of Father’s Day (Día del Padre) in Spain coincides with St. Joseph’s Day and takes place annually on March 19th. And this is not surprising, because in Catholic countries Joseph is especially revered as an exemplary husband and father, full of love and care for his family.

The tradition of celebrating Father’s Day worldwide arose thanks to an American woman named Sonora Smart Dodd. Her father was a widower and raised Sonora and her five sisters and brothers alone. In 1909, Dodd campaigned to establish Father’s Day in her home state of Washington. And it was successful — the holiday began to be celebrated on June 19, 1910. Soon the tradition took root throughout the United States. In 1972, Father’s Day received federal status and has since been celebrated every third Sunday in June.

Other countries around the world followed the US example. The activist thanks to whom Father’s Day began to be celebrated in Spain was Manuela Vicente Ferrero (Nely), a teacher and employee of several media outlets. In 1949, she began to independently promote the idea of praising her father as well as her mother in her columns for El Correo de Zamora and Magisterio Españo. In 1951, her campaign to formalize Father’s Day was supported by Ràdio Nacional. Two years later, large chains of retail houses Galerías Preciados and El Corte Inglés appreciated the commercial potential of Father’s Day and actively joined in its advertising. The Spanish government did not have a chance and the holiday was timed to coincide with March 19 — St. Joseph’s Day.

Although it has not received state status, Father’s Day is a day off in the regions of Valencia, Galicia, Murcia, Navarre, and the Basque Country. On this special day, Spanish families traditionally gather around the table and present cards and small gifts to the fathers. School-age children often make crafts with their own hands.