Next, Sunday. It states: “Sunday, according to biblical texts, is the first day of divine creation – the creation of light. Therefore, Sunday has also been considered the first day of the week since ancient times. On March 7, 321 AD, Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome, proclaimed the Day of the Sun – Sunday – as a day of rest. Thus, Sunday became the first day of rest and secured its status as the first day of the week. In Christian countries, the seven-day week begins with Sunday, and Russia was no exception. In many countries, Sunday still remains the first day of the week, primarily in North America, including the United States, Canada, as well as Latin American countries, Japan, and some countries in Asia and Africa.”
Next, Monday. “On June 26, 1940, following unpopular labor reforms, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree introducing an 8-hour workday within a 7-day workweek and prohibiting workers from leaving their jobs without authorization.” I don’t want to read this – it’s useless to me. Why do I need to know about the Soviet Union when I just want to talk about Monday? But fine. Then, the Wikipedia section “Non-Seven-Day Weeks”: “In Ancient Egypt, according to the Ancient Greek calendar, the year consisted of 36 weeks of 10 days each. In the Roman Empire, there were eight-day weeks called nundinae. The Ancient Maya had a 13-day week and also used a 20-day week.”
Now, I need to go through all the days of the week as mentioned in Wikipedia. Monday. “The second day (‘Monday’) of God’s creation of the world, the division of earthly and heavenly waters.” “The word ‘Monday’ and its analogs in other Slavic languages – ponedilok...” Clearly, Wikipedia doesn’t really know what to write about Monday, so they start explaining how the word appeared in different countries. Here’s an interesting section about Monday: “Religious Observance.” “In Judaism and Islam, Monday is considered a favorable time for fasting and prayer. In the Jewish tradition, the Torah is read publicly in the morning on Mondays, one of the three designated days for this (the other two are Thursday and Saturday). Special penitential prayers are also recited unless there is a particularly joyful occasion that allows for their cancellation In the Didache, early Christians were advised to avoid fasting on Mondays to distinguish themselves from Jewish customs. Instead of Monday, Wednesday was recommended.