Friday (Lat. Dies Veneris, Fr. Vendredi, Ger. Freitag, Swed. Fredag), the sixth day of the week, takes its name from the goddess Frigga, the wife of Odin, to whom it was consecrated. The word is, however, often connected with Freyja, the goddess of love, to which notion the Latin name is due. As the day of the week on which the Crucifixion of our Lord took place, it has had a special sanctity among most Christian peoples, and Roman Catholics still hold it as a weekly fast. The Friday in Holy Week is the day on which the Passion is celebrated, and as such is the most solemn of the fasts and festivals of the Christian church. Almost everywhere within the range of Christendom, Friday is a day of proverbial ill-luck, on which it is not wise to put to sea, to marry, or commence any important undertaking. In some places other days are unlucky for particular enterprises, but Friday holds its character everywhere and for undertakings of all kinds. Among no class of men is this notion more persistent than among mariners, who, whether Spaniards, Italians, Bretons, Finns, or Englishmen, alike manifest the same disinclination to put to sea that day; and recount many a story of disaster that has followed some too greatly daring crew, the memory unconsciously retaining the few confirming cases, while the many exceptions are easily forgotten. A persistent but not localised tradition in both England and America tells of a ship, the keel of which was laid on Friday, that was launched on Friday, with the name of Friday, and sent to sea on Friday, under a Captain Friday, but which deservedly was never heard of again. Shipping statistics still show a smaller number of sailings upon that than upon any other day—it may be well for sailors to be reminded that Columbus both sailed and discovered land on Friday, and that the Pilgrim Fathers touched land on the same day.
Although the Russian name for Friday, Pyatnitsa (pyat, 'five'), has not a similar mythological significance with Friday or Vendredi, the day was consecrated by the ancient Slavonians to some goddess similar to Venus or Freyja. Afnasief explains the Carinthian name Sibne dau as indicating that it was once holy to Siva, the Lithuanian Seewa, the Slavonic deity corresponding to Ceres. In Christian time the deity presiding over Friday became merged in St Prascovia, and is now addressed under the compound name of 'Mother Pyatnitsa-Prascovia.' She wanders about the house on her holy day, and is displeased to see sewing, spinning, weaving, and the like going on, revenging herself by plagues of sore eyes, whitlows, and agnails. Especially must the house be clean of dust on the Thursday evening, so that she may not be offended on her visit the next day.