Saturdays

Saturday is the sixth day of the week in the international standard ISO 8601, where the week runs Monday to Sunday. In systems that begin the week on Sunday, Saturday is the seventh day. It is typically associated with the weekend in many parts of the world and functions as a day of rest, leisure, or work, depending on local customs and employment practices.

Name and origins: The English Saturday derives from Old English Sæternesdæg, ultimately from Latin dies Saturni, the day of Saturn. In many European languages the name reflects the planet or the Sabbath: German Samstag; French samedi; Spanish sábado; Dutch zaterdag; Italian sabato; Russian суббота (subbota) from Hebrew Shabbat.

Religious and cultural significance: In Judaism, Shabbat begins Friday at sunset and lasts until nightfall Saturday, a day of rest, worship, and abstention from certain types of labor. In Islam, Friday is the weekly day of communal prayer, not a Sabbath, so Saturday has no obligatory religious status in most Muslim communities, though secular Saturday is observed as a day off in many countries. Some Christian groups, such as Seventh-day Adventists, observe Saturday as a Sabbath.

Modern usage: In many countries Saturday is a popular day for shopping, sports, and cultural events; in a number of places, schools and businesses use Saturday for weekend activities, while in others the traditional five-day workweek minimizes Saturday as a workday. Sports leagues, television schedules, and tourism often feature Saturday events.