Saturday

Saturday is the day of the week that comes between Friday and Sunday. Long ago, the Romans named this day diēs Sāturnī, which means "Saturn's Day," after the god Saturn. They believed that Saturn, and his planet, had an influence on the first hour of this day.

The name for Saturday spread into many West Germanic languages. We can see it in old forms such as satersdach and saterdach in Middle Low German, saterdag in Middle Dutch (which is still used today as zaterdag in Modern Dutch), and Sæternesdæġ, Sæterndæġ, or Sæterdæġ in Old English.

Origins

See also: Names of the days of the week

The seven-day week began with the Jewish tradition, where the seventh day was observed as a day of rest called the Sabbath. This idea was later taken up by Christianity and then adopted by the Roman Empire, slowly replacing their older eight-day cycle between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD.

The way the days were named comes from old ideas about stars and planets influencing each hour of the day. Important writers like Vettius Valens, Dio Cassius, and Chaucer explained these connections in their work. The days are named after planets, which themselves were named after ancient gods and goddesses.

Later, Germanic peoples took this Roman system and linked it to their own gods instead. However, for Saturday, they kept the Roman name because none of their own gods matched the Roman god Saturn. This is why some Germanic languages have different names for Saturday than others.

Name and associations

Saturday has different names in various languages and regions. In German, it is called Samstag in some areas and Sonnabend in others. These names come from old languages and mean things like "Sabbath" or "Sun eve."

In many places, Saturday is linked to the planet Saturn. For example, in India, it is called Shanivāra, based on the Hindu god Shani linked to Saturn. In Japan and Korea, the word for Saturday means "earth day," also connecting to Saturn. Some cultures have special traditions or colors linked to Saturday, like wearing purple in Thailand. Each language and culture has its own unique way of naming and thinking about Saturday.

Position in the week

See also: Gregorian calendar

The international standard ISO 8601 calls Saturday the sixth day of the week. However, the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—consider Saturday to be the seventh day of the week. Because of this, many of these groups still use Saturday as their seventh day instead of following the ISO standard.

Saturday Sabbath

See also: Shabbat, Sabbath in seventh-day churches, and Sabbath in Christianity

For Jews, Messianics, Seventh Day Baptists, and Seventh-day Adventists, the seventh day of the week, called Shabbat (or Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists), begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. It is a special day of rest.

Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches see Saturday (Sabbath) as different from the Lord's Day (Sunday). Some Protestant groups, like Seventh-day Adventists, believe the Lord's Day is the Sabbath, based on the fourth commandment from Exodus 20:8, and not Sunday.

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.

— Exodus 20:10 King James Version

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is a special day in the Christian faith. It is observed during Holy Week, right before Easter Sunday. Many Christians use this day for quiet reflection and preparation as they wait for the celebration of Easter.

Catholic liturgy and devotions on each Saturday

In the Catholic Church, Saturday is a special day for honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary.

One important Catholic practice is the Holy Rosary, where people think about the Joyful Mysteries on Saturdays and also on Mondays each year.

Orthodox

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saturdays are special days. People remember the Mother of God and All Saints on these days. They also say special prayers for those who have passed away, because it was on a Saturday that Jesus rested in the tomb.

For Orthodox Christians, Saturdays are usually not strict days for not eating much food, except for one special day called Holy Saturday. Even during special times when people usually eat less, like Great Lent, the rules are a little easier on Saturdays. Some big holy days that are usually strict days for eating less become easier if they happen to fall on a Saturday or Sunday.

Astrology

Main article: Saturn (astrology)

In astrology, the planet Saturn is linked to Saturday. It is also connected to the signs Capricorn and Aquarius.

In popular culture

Regional customs

In many countries, Saturday is a day of rest and relaxation, often part of the weekend. In Australia, elections are always held on a Saturday. In Israel, Saturday is the official day of rest, with government offices and most businesses closed, including some public transportation. In Nepal, Saturday is the last day of the week and the only official weekly holiday. In New Zealand, elections can only be held on a Saturday. In Sweden and Norway, younger children are often allowed to eat sweets only on Saturdays. This tradition began to help protect children's teeth. In the U.S. state of Louisiana, Saturday is the preferred day for elections.

Slang

Because many fun activities and events happen on Saturday nights, the phrase "Saturday night special" is sometimes used to describe inexpensive handguns.

Arts, entertainment, and media

Comics and periodicals

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal is a popular webcomic. There are also well-known magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, Saturday Night (magazine) from Canada, and Saturday Night Magazine (U.S.).

Films

Because Saturday nights are often linked with fun and parties, several films have "Saturday Night" in their titles. These include Mr. Saturday Night, Saturday Night Fever, and Uptown Saturday Night. These films often show lively scenes from cities like New York.

Folk rhymes and folklore

In some old rhymes, Saturday is linked with hard work, as in "Saturday's child works hard for a living". There's also a rhyme about Solomon Grundy that says he "Died on Saturday". In some stories from the Balkans, people born on Saturday were thought to have special abilities.

Music

Many popular songs have "Saturday" in their titles. For example, there's a Nigerian song called "Bobo Waro Fero Satodeh" meaning "Everybody Loves Saturday Night", and songs like Saturday in the Park by Chicago. Television shows like Saturday Night Live have also inspired song titles.

Television

Saturday nights are a popular time for funny shows on TV in the United States, especially Saturday Night Live, which has been on the air since 1975. In the United Kingdom, Saturday evenings feature popular shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Britain's Got Talent. The final of the Eurovision Song Contest always airs on a Saturday in May. Saturday is also a common night for wrestling shows like WCW Saturday Night and WWE Saturday Night's Main Event.

Video games

Video games such as Saturday Night Slam Masters and Saturday Morning RPG refer to Saturday in their titles.

Sports

In the United Kingdom, most football matches happen on Saturdays. In the United States, many college football and college basketball games are played on Saturdays. Mixed martial arts events organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship often take place on this day as well.