Only a non-working person can underestimate Friday, because only this day marks the end of the working week, the eve of the weekend. The phrase “think Friday”, fashionable today, means “think positively,” with an anticipation of rest and relaxation.

However, almost no one wondered: why is Friday called Friday?

Friday - the origin of the word

The inhabitants of Babylon considered the number "seven" sacred. Calculation of the week of ulterior motive was conducted on the basis of this number. Each day a certain planet patronized, giving it its name. Friday was ruled by Venus (dies Veneris). By the beginning of our era, the Arabs, Romans, Greeks and northern peoples adopted this system. In some languages, the name of Friday is still preserved as “Venus Day” (in France, India - in Sanskrit, slightly less similarities remain in Italy, Spain, Romania).

The names of different days were also associated with the ancient gods. Frigg - the wife of Odin and the high priestess - inherited by the British from the Scandinavians, by value replaced the Roman Venus. It was believed that the patronage of the seer goddess extended to marriage, home, love, fertility and children's health. So in the language of the inhabitants of Misty Albion appeared the day of Phrygia (Friday). Similar names in the group of Swedish, Danish, Norwegian languages ​​- Fretag.

There is still a difference in the order of the days of the week in different nationalities.Monday is recognized as the first day of the week in all areas (especially business) in Europe, the UK, and partially in Asia. And in many states of the USA, in Canada, Japan, the week begins with a cheerful Sunday. And Friday they have the sixth in a row.

Why is Friday called Friday among the Slavs?

It seems that the secret of Slavic Friday lies in its semantic structure, and the day got its name due to the order of succession. However, the ancestors had a nickel, a Friday in the meaning of five, fifth. So why did Friday inherit it? It's all about mythology.

In pagan times, one of the most revered was Mokosh (Makosh). The ancient deity was inextricably linked with fate, fertility, prosperity. Some scholars are convinced that her cult was developed more than veneration of Perun. And references to it were found in many primary sources of those distant centuries. Later, the characteristic signs of the Slavic Mokosh were transferred to the great martyr Paraskeva Friday, elevated to the rank of saint. It was her patronage that was given the fifth day of the week - Friday.

Translated from Greek Paraskeva - “eve”, “cooking”, in the ABCs of Paraskovia - “heels”. Churches, cathedrals built in her honor are still called Pyatnitsky.

In ancient frescoes, the saint was depicted with her hair flowing in white robes, often with a spindle in her hands. Everything related to human well-being (fertility of land, livestock, health, successful marriage, success in trade) fell under her protection. The image is found in the dictionary of V.I.Dahl, and on the pages of Pushkin’s works sometimes mention the holiness of Friday.

Spinners revered Paraskeva as a powerful intercessor. The worship of the benefactress was necessarily accompanied by rituals and some prohibitions. It was impossible to work on Holy Friday, to harvest, spin yarn, knit, sew and even wash your hair.

Friday today

Many nations do not consider this day to be the happiest, because on Friday they crucified Christ. And Muslims connect her with the eating of the forbidden fruit Eve and Adam (their death overtook on Friday too). And in the modern world, echoes of Friday's superstitions are still audible. For example, the sailors try not to schedule a long exit to the sea on Friday, otherwise the campaign will fail.

In some nationalities, homework on Friday is still banned, especially monotonous. Some people believe that you should not cut your nails on the eve of Saturday, so that later you do not suffer from diseases. Others are convinced that excessive gaiety, laughter and singing songs will soon lead to shedding plentiful tears.

The similarity of the name of the fifth day of the week in Slavic languages ​​is not in doubt. Confirmation of this are: Ukrainian p’yatnitsya, Serbian petak, Belarusian pyatnitsa, Czech patek, Bulgarian petak, Slovenian petek, Polish piatek, and others. In Russia, not only the sequence of the sequence left its mark on the name of Friday. According to ancient legends, she was given her name by the respected Paraskeva Friday, the patroness of domestic well-being and fertility in a female form.