In Portugal, Mother's Day is celebrated on which Sunday of May?

In Portugal, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of May.

Known locally as Dia da Mãe, the observance is generally a family occasion rather than a major statutory holiday. Children often make cards or small gifts at school, while families mark the day with flowers, presents, and shared meals.

Portugal’s date fits a wider Catholic and Iberian pattern linking May with the Virgin Mary. Portugal formerly observed the celebration on 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, before the May observance became established. Our Lady of Fátima also gives May particular religious resonance in Portugal.

The date is easy to confuse with the second Sunday of May, used in the United States, Brazil, and many other countries. Portugal’s first-Sunday rule is shared by several countries, including Spain, Hungary, Angola, and Mozambique. In some Portuguese Protestant communities, a second-Sunday observance may also be encountered, but the standard national answer is the first Sunday.