MONDAY

The Day of the Moon

monandaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
montag (Germanic)
dies lunae (Latin)
som-var (Hindu)
peer or somwar (Islamic)
lundi (French)
getsu youbi (Japanese

This is traditionally viewed as the second day of the week. Although known as ‘Monandaeg’ by the Angle-Saxons it was also known as ‘the day of the moon’. ‘Black Monday’ was the term given to 14 April 1360 which was an Easter Monday. King Edward III of England had laid siege to Paris but was plagued by the weather as it turned foul and dark.. As a result it is said that many men and their mounts were lost in battle. The fact that this event is said to have occurred on Easter Monday is disputed, being later said to have occurred on the Tuesday, but ever since the Monday after Easter has been given this name. On 25 February 1865 a terrifying wind rose up in Melbourne, Australia coming from the NNW. Devastation hit an immense area of land between Castlemaine and Sandhurst, known after by this name. According to tradition it was believed that there were three specific Mondays of the year that were considered to be unlucky. The first Monday in April, the second in August, and the last in the month of December. It is said that Cain was born on the first Monday in April, and that later it was upon this day that he killed his brother Abel. Sodom and Gommorah was said to be destroyed on the second Monday in August, and that it was upon this day in December that Judas Iscariot was born. According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.