Who doesn’t love a great, lazy Sunday? It’s the perfect day for staying in bed, having a huge breakfast, and enjoying time alone or with our loved ones! But did you also know that it’s a day with a lot of history and interesting facts? Here are 10 fun facts about Sundays!
1. It’s the day of the Sun… who knew?
As you might have likely guessed from the name, Sunday is the day dedicated to the Sun! In fact, Sunday was considered to be the day of the Sun God. At least, it was in Roman culture!
2. The day of no work?
In many Slavic languages (such as Polish, Croatian, Bulgarian, and Ukrainian), Sunday actually means the day of no work! And, considering that it is the most common day for banks, shops, schools, and more to be closed, it’s a pretty apt name!
3. The day work starts?
However, in many Middle Eastern countries, Sunday actually marks the beginning of the work week! They work Sundays to Thursdays and enjoy their weekends on Fridays and Saturdays. This is usually so they can observe holy days on Fridays.
4. Friday the 13th – given away by a Sunday!
Want to keep an eye out for the coming Friday 13th? All you need to do is look for a Sunday! That is to say that all months that start with a Sunday automatically have a Friday the 13th!
5. A red day?
In the Solar Calendar (observed in Thai culture), red is the chosen colour representing Sunday. This is due to the fact that each day of the week has a colour based on ancient astrological rules in Thailand. Surya is the God of Sunday, and their colour is indeed red.
6. No whistling on a Sunday!
One of the most confusing laws in all of the US is specifically observed in Salt Lake City, Utah. One such law there is that it is illegal to whistle in the city on a Sunday! You can even be fined up to $1,000 for doing so – but is it ever enforced?
7. Praying at dawn was a crucial part of Roman Sundays.
Sunday was such an important day for the ancient Romans that there was even a popular cult who would observe the day together. They would stand at dawn, specifically on a Sunday, to catch the day’s first sun rays as they prayed.
8. The most famous Sunday of them all?
Speaking of faiths, Easter Sunday is still celebrated by Christians around the world to this day! They believe that Easter Sunday is the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected.
9. Extra, extra!
Newspapers across the US usually publish bigger, special editions of their papers on a Sunday. They often come with extra magazines, comic strips in colour, coupons, and even an extra newspaper supplement or two.
10. And it’s go, go, go!
Sunday is also an important day for motorsports! Sports events such as Formula One, races taking part in MotoGP and NASCAR’s Sprint Cup have their official races on a Sunday. Saturday is usually reserved for their qualifying and practice races.
FAQs about Sundays
What does Sunday actually mean?
Sunday has different meanings across different faiths. It is widely considered to be the day of the sun, the day of rest, and the last day of the week. However, for others, it is the very first day of the week and, therefore, a day of work. For Christians, it is considered to be Lord’s Day.
Why is Sunday the first day of the week in calendars?
Although for many of us, Sunday is the last day of the week; it often appears as the first day of our week on calendars. This is simply because the Gregorian calendar (the one most widely used today) is derived from the Hebrew calendar. On the latter, Sunday was considered to be the first day of the week.
When did Sunday become a day of rest?
Sunday officially became a day of rest back in 321 AD! The Roman Emperor of the time, Constantine I, made a civil decree stating that Sunday was the official day of rest from labour.
Further reading:
https://facts.uk/tag/days-of-the-week
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-history-of-sunday/
https://redeeminggod.com/sabbath-to-sunday-transition/
Do you know any fun facts about Sunday? Share them in the comments below!
