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Wednesday is named after Odin (Wotan), the all-father of Norse mythology. Source: The_AI_Revolution / Adobe Stock

The Pagan Gods Who Gave Rise to the Days of Our Week

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We speak the names of gods on a daily basis and most people do not even realize it.  Whether its Thor’s Day (Thursday) or Saturn’s Day (Saturday), every day of the week, religious and non-religious people alike follow the old pagan tradition of giving thanks to the gods of old.

In ancient Mesopotamia, astrologers assigned each day of the week the name of a god. In a culture where days were consumed by religion, it is unsurprising that the days of the week were made in homage to the gods believed to rule the lives of mortals.  

Many centuries later, the Romans, upon beginning to use the seven day week, adopted the names of the week to fit their own gods. These were then adopted by Germanic people who also adjusted the names according to their gods. It is predominantly these Germanic and Norse gods that have lived on today in the days of the week, which are outlined below.

Sunday

Sunday, as you may be able to guess, is the “Sun’s Day” – the name of a pagan Roman holiday.  In many folklore traditions, Sunday was believed to be a lucky day for babies born. Many societies have worshiped the sun and sun-gods. Perhaps the most famous is the Egyptian Sun-god Ra, who was the lord of time.

Monday

Monday comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘monandaeg’ which is the “Moon’s Day”. On this day people gave homage to the goddess of the moon.  It was believed by ancients that there were three Mondays during the year that were considered to be unlucky: first Monday in April, second in August and last in December.

Tuesday

Tuesday is the first to be named after a Germanic god – Tiu (or Twia) – a god of war and the sky and associated with the Norse god Tyr, who was a defender god in Viking mythology.  Tiu is associated with Mars. He is usually shown with only one hand. In the most famous myth about Týr he placed his hand between the jaws of the wolf Fenrir as a mark of good faith while the other gods, pretending to play, bound the wolf. When Fenrir realised he had been tricked he bit off Tyr's hand.

Tuesday is connected with the Norse god Tyr. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

Tuesday is connected with the Norse god Tyr. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

Wednesday

Wednesday means “Woden’s Day” (in Norse, ‘Odin’), the Old Norse’s equivalent to Mercury, who was the messenger to the gods and the Roman god of commerce, travel and science. He was considered the chief god and leader of the wild hunt in Anglo-Saxon mythology, but the name directly translated means “violently insane headship” – not exactly the name of a loving and kind god!  Woden was the ruler of Asgard, the hoe of the gods, and is able to shift and change into different forms.

Thursday

Thursday was “Thor’s Day”, named after the Norse god of thunder and lightning and is the Old Norse equivalent to Jupiter. Thor is often depicted holding a giant hammer and during the 10  th and 11  th centuries when Christians tried to convert the Scandinavians, many wore emblems of Thor’s hammer as a symbol of defiance against the new religion.

Thursday is named after Thor, Norse god of thunder. Source: Dusan Kostic / Adobe Stock

Thursday is named after Thor, Norse god of thunder. Source: Dusan Kostic / Adobe Stock

Friday

Friday is associated with Freya, the wife of Woden and the Norse goddess of love, marriage and fertility, who is equivalent to Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

Saturday

Lastly, Saturday derives from “Saturn’s Day”, a Roman god associated with wealth, plenty and time. It is the only English week-day still associated with a Roman god, Saturn.  The Hebrews called Saturday the "Sabbath", meaning, day of rest. The Bible identifies Saturday as the last day of the week.

The seven-day week originates with in ancient Babylon prior to 600 BC, when time was marked with the lunar cycle, which experienced different seven-day cycles. A millennium later, Emperor Constantine converted Rome to Christianity and standardized the seven-day week across the Empire.  Rome may initially have acquired the seven-day week from the mystical beliefs of Babylonian astrologers. But it was the biblical story of creation, God making the Heavens and Earth and resting on the seventh day that will have led the first Christian emperor of Rome to make sure it endured to this day.

Top image: Wednesday is named after Odin (Wotan), the all-father of Norse mythology. Source: The_AI_Revolution / Adobe Stock

By Joanna Gillan

 

Comments

Pete Wagner's picture

From the article, "the Romans, upon beginning to use the seven day week, adopted the names of the week to fit their own gods. These were then adopted by Germanic people..."

So are we to believe the Norse/Germanics did not name the days prior to this, and that the tyrannical Romans (if they really did exist) were OKAY with having the Norse mythology supplant their ‘gods’?  ...Oh but wait, there’s Saturday for Saturn, the god of wealth, that the people of the South insisted upon.  Maybe they didn’t want a day of the week dedicated for bathing, as did the people of the North (who called Saturday Laugardagur)?  And I assume the people of the North didn’t have a day dedicated to counting their money, ...which wasn't yet a thing at the time they named the days.

Nobody gets paid to tell the truth.

tamaramoresova1985's picture

In Slovak language:
Pondelok- Monday
Utorok- Tuesday
Streda- Wednesday
Štvrtok- Thursday
Piatok- Friday
Sobota- Saturday
Nedeľa- Sunday

In Romania:
Duminica - (from latin Dominus Diem) - (Sunday)
Luni - (from latin Lunae) - (Monday)
Marti - (from latin Martis) - (Tuesday)
Miercuri - (from latin Mercurii) - (Wednesday)
Joi - (from latin Iovis) - (Thursday)
Vineri - (from latin Veneris) - (Friday)
Sambata - (from latin Sabbatum) - (Saturday)

In seems that, except Saturday and Sunday,
all other days are derived from old Roman Pagan Gods.

My question, above, to April is answered.
I see now where April possibly got the information of Saturn being the Ruler of wealth and plenty.

It is a misreading of the quote "Saturn was the Roman god of fertility, agriculture and time. He is the father of Jupiter, the chief Roman god, and associated with wealth and abundance." from the BBC "Why are there seven days in a week".

If one reads carefully it is Jupiter who is the ruler of wealth and abundance not Saturn.
Jupiter certainly rules plenty, which could translate to an abundant overdraft at the bank.

“Saturn’s Day”, a Roman god associated with wealth, plenty"

Nothing in ancient or modern Astrology could be further from the truth. Saturn is the ruler of time yes but also of sorrow, hardship, lack and many othe nasties, however rulers have a spectrum of rulership, Saturn is not always a baddy.

No Pagan ever referred to the planets as Gods, Rulers yes, never Gods. This is a modern interpretation in order to show the superiority of todays religion and to castigate the previous Pagan religion.
It was one ploy to get rid of the old and introduce the new as the people did not give up their ways so easily as their ways were more true than todays.

Most of our annual celebrations today are left overs from the previous Age, Easter, Yuletide, etc.

My question would be: April, from which source came the information that you understand about Saturn?

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