Sunday

[4][5] The International Organization for Standardization ISO 8601, which is based in Switzerland, calls Sunday the seventh day of the week.

[9] In most Indian languages, the word for Sunday is derived from Sanskrit Ravivāra or Adityavāra — vāra meaning day and Aditya and Ravi both being names for Surya, the Sun and the solar deity.

Belarusian нядзеля (nyadzelya), Bulgarian неделя (nedelya), Croatian and Serbian nedjelja / недеља, Czech neděle, Macedonian недела (nedela), Polish niedziela, Slovak nedeľa, Slovenian nedelja and Ukrainian неділя (nedilya) are all cognates literally meaning "no work" or "day with no work".

The Modern Greek word for Sunday, Κυριακή, is derived from Κύριος (Kyrios, Lord) also, due to its liturgical significance as the day commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, i.e.

In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, Sunday is called 星期日 (Xīng qī rì), 일요일 (Il-yo-Il), and 日曜日 (Nichiyōbi) respectively, which all mean "sun day of the week".

In Hebrew it is called יום ראשון yom rishon, in Arabic الأحد al-ahad, in Persian and related languages یکشنبه yek-shanbe, all meaning "first".

It is the day Orunmila, the convener of Ifá to earth, buried the mother of Esu Odara and his wife, Imi.

In the gospels, the women are described as coming to the empty tomb "εις μια των σαββατων",[12] which literally means "toward the first of the sabbath" and is often translated "on the first day of the week".

Justin Martyr, in the mid-2nd century, mentions "memoirs of the apostles" as being read on "the day called that of the sun" (Sunday) alongside the "writings of the prophets.

In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.

First-day Sabbatarians, including Christians of the Methodist, Baptist and Reformed (Presbyterian and Congregationalist) traditions, observe Sunday as the sabbath, a day devoted to the worship of God at church (the attendance of Sunday School, a service of worship in the morning and evening), as well as a day of rest (meaning that people are free from servile labour and should refrain from trading, buying and selling except when necessary).

The same evening anticipation applies to other major solemnities and feasts, and is an echo of the Jewish practice of starting the new day at sunset.

Those who work in the medical field, in law enforcement, and soldiers in a war zone are dispensed from the usual obligation to attend church on Sunday.

During this time, the dismissal at all services begin with the words, "May Christ our True God, who rose from the dead ...." Anyone who wishes to receive Holy Communion at Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning is required to attend Vespers the night before (see Eucharistic discipline).

Among Orthodox Christians, Sunday is considered to be a "Little Pascha" (Easter), and because of the Paschal joy, the making of prostrations is forbidden, except in certain circumstances.

Outside the English-speaking world, Sabbath as a word, if it is used, refers to the Saturday (or the specific Jewish practices on it); Sunday is called the Lord's Day e.g. in Romance languages and Modern Greek.

On the other hand, English-speaking Christians often refer to the Sunday as the Sabbath (other than Seventh-day Sabbatarians); a practice which, probably due to the international connections and the Latin tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, is more widespread among (but not limited to) Protestants.

The practice of offices closing on Sunday in government and in some rural areas of the United States stem from a system of blue laws.

[22] Blue laws were established in the early puritan days, which forbade secular activities on Sunday and were rigidly enforced.

Public selling of commodities other than necessary foods and drinks, medicine, ice, and surgical and burial equipment, and other necessities can legally be prohibited on Sunday.

Many American and British daily newspapers publish a larger edition on Sundays, which often includes color comic strips, a magazine, and a coupon section.

[27] Period or older-skewing television dramas, such as Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, Lark Rise to Candleford and Heartbeat are commonly shown on Sunday evenings in the UK; the first of these was Dr Finlay's Casebook in the 1960s.

[34] Many American, Australian and British television networks and stations also broadcast their political interview shows on Sunday mornings.

It is not uncommon for church attendance to shift on days when a late morning or early afternoon game is anticipated by a local community.

One of the remains of religious segregation in the Netherlands is seen in amateur football: The Saturday-clubs are by and large Protestant Christian clubs, who were not allowed to play on Sunday.