E-mail: sveta-amosova@yandex.ru
Tel.: +7 (916) 884-46-10
32a, Leninskiy av., Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
Junior researcher, Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
This paper deals with notions associated with Friday among Eastern Slavs. Friday was the most semantically loaded day of the week in many European traditions, including all of the East Slavic peoples. Number of various texts about it exceed that of narratives about all the other days of week many times, whereas other days of the week are described in a pair with Friday or opposed to it often. Friday involves a few diverse groups of views that are considered in the paper. In particular, such features of Friday, as a lean / a hard day are revealed. A complete ban on work, especially spinning and winding linen, appeared. It was forbidden to start any activity. On the other hand, Friday was considered as an auspicious day for various magical practices (e. g. enchantment of disease, divination of dreams). Most researchers who have described representations of this day of the week, believed that these features have pre-Christian, pagan roots. But, perhaps it was namely the Christian tradition that has originated mainstream ideas about the “specificity” of Friday, which was connected with the death of Jesus Christ — the Central event of Christian history.
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