Carola Lillie Hartley
Publisher and Contributing Writer
As we continue to celebrate this holiday weekend, let’s all remember the real meaning of Memorial Day. It is a federal holiday that honors our brave military members who died while serving our country.
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and honored the soldiers who died in the Civil War in the 1860s.
After World War I and World War II, the day grew to be called Memorial Day so that more soldiers could be honored. The day was first celebrated on May 30th each year, but in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act so that the holiday would always fall on the last Monday of May. It became a federal holiday in 1971 to ensure people could have the day off work to reflect on the sacrifice made for them.
So, as you enjoy the time off from work and all the activities with family and friends, please also remember this holiday has a more somber meaning.
On this 2023 Memorial Day pray for all our soldiers who lost their lives defending our country so we can have this day of celebration.
To learn more about the history of this special holiday, click on this link: https://www.stlandrynow.com/community/memorial-day-not-a-celebration-but-a-commeration/
