CHARACTERISTICS ORIGINS OF THE SEVEN DAYS WEEK
The week of seven days was adopted in Rome somewhere about
400 AD, and spread into Europe, but had been recognized as a period of time
long before that in the east. It was
probably chosen to give one day each to each of the seven planets known in
antiquity. In the southern countries of
Europe, the days of the week were named after the Gods of the Greeks and Romans.
SUNDAY:
Sunday is the first day of the week. From prehistoric times to the close of the
fifth century of the Christian era, the worship of the sun was dominant. Sunday
celebrates the sun god. Ra,
Helios, Apollo, Ogmios, Mithrias, the sun goddess, Phoebe. In the year 321, Constantine the Great ruled
that the first day of the week, “the venerable day of the sun”, should be a day
of rest.
MONDAY:
Monday is the day of moon goddess, Selene, Luna and
Mani. Derived from Lunae Dies, day of the moon, it reflects the
ancient observervance of feast days dedicated to moon goddness or planet.
TUESDAY:
Tuesday is the third day of the week. Tiw”s day
is derived from Tyr or Tir, the God of Honourable war, the wrestler and the son
of Odin, the Norse God of war and
Frigga, the earth mother.
WEDNESDAY:
Wednesday is corresponds to the Roman Dies Mercurii. The name derives from the Scandinavian
Woden (Odin), chief of God of Norse
mythology, called the All Father.
THURSDAY:
Thursday derives its name from the Middle English
Toresday. Thor, the God of Strength and
thunder is the counterpart of Jupiter or Jove.
Thor is the only god who cannot cross from earth to heaven upon the
rainbow, for he is so heavy and powerful that the gods fear it will break under
his weight. It was said that whenever
Thor threw his hammer, the noise of thunder was heard through the heavens. Thursday was sacred to Thor.
FRIDAY:
Friday is derived from the Germanie Frigga the name of the
Norse god Odin”s wife. Frigga is considered to be the mother of
all, and the goddess who presides over marriage. The name means loving or beloved. The
corresponding Latin name is Dies Veneris, a day dedicated to Venus, the goddess
of love.
SATURDAY:'
Saturday is corresponding to the Romandies Saturni, or day of
Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture.
Saturday is also represented by Loki, the Norse god of tricks and chaos.