The Weekend Cometh

But not for you suckers in the West! Oh yes, the sweetness of life in the Islamic World- where Friday and Saturday form the weekend. Sunday is engrained in me- Sunday is always going to be chilled (especially considering that each day is of my own devices) but the tough edge of Friday is gone, and by Wednesday the week is almost done.

I was wondering where this shelving of Sundays comes from. Or rather more accurately, considering Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath and Christianity sprung from it, where did we get our chillaxing Sundays from?

The wiki oracle reveals, that the Roman Emperor Constantine on Mar 7, 321 decreed Sunday (dies Solis) as the Roman day of rest ,"On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed".

Put slightly differently, "in 321, in a move to spite Jews and accommodate Christianity with prevailing pagan ways, Constantine made the day of Sol Invictus a holy day and a day of rest for the Christians -- Sunday".

Oh Constantine! You reviver of the secret police, supporter of slavery, and First Christian Emperor of Rome.


So Sunday is Sol Invictus day? Hmmm Sneaky.. But there's more from the Oracle-
"A festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun (or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti) was celebrated when the duration of daylight first begins to increase after the winter solstice,—the "rebirth" of the sun". "History records that December 25 was only adopted in the fourth century as a Christian holiday by the Roman Emperor Constantine, to encourage a common religious festival for both the Christians and the Pagans.".

So Christmas... is the Sol Invictus Uberday. Especially in the Southern Hemisphere- where we Xmas by the beach. I can imagine the Aussies now, "Hot Day, Cold Beer- celebrating Sol Invictus Uberday since second- century Syria". And the prayers that evening, "Dear Sol, I ate some real crook prawns, green ones. If you could help me guts I'd be real 'ppreciative. Cheers".