Wednesday traditions

Wednesday around the world

Wednesday carries the name of Woden or Odin in English and of Mercury in the Romance languages, god of messengers and merchants. In Hindu tradition it is Budhvar, the day of Mercury, associated with intellect and trade, and some devotees worship Ganesha, Krishna or Vitthal that day. For Orthodox Christians, Wednesday and Friday are weekly fast days, when meat, dairy and often oil are left out, remembering the betrayal and the crucifixion of Jesus. Many Protestant congregations hold midweek prayer meetings. Ash Wednesday opens Lent in Western churches. In Iran the last Wednesday before Nowruz is Chaharshanbe Suri, when people jump over small fires on the evening before. In Java, the Wednesday that falls on the Pon day of the five-day market week is thought to have special spiritual force.

Customs of Wednesday

• Budha 🇮🇳: The planet Mercury, whose day is kept with prayers for learning and trade.
• Fasting and abstinence in the Eastern Orthodox Church 🇬🇷🇷🇺🇷🇸🇷🇴🇪🇹: Wednesday and Friday are weekly fast days through most of the year.
• Ash Wednesday 🇺🇸🇮🇹🇪🇸🇵🇭🇧🇷: The opening of Lent, with ashes on the forehead.
• Chaharshanbe Suri 🇮🇷🇦🇫🇦🇿: The fire-jumping evening before the last Wednesday of the Persian year.
• Prayer meeting 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇳🇬🇰🇷: The midweek evening gathering for prayer in many Protestant churches.
• Javanese calendar 🇮🇩: The Javanese five-day week combines with the seven-day week to give days with special significance.

On EveryParampara

Ash WednesdayThe opening of Lent, with ashes on the forehead.Chaharshanbe SuriThe fire-jumping evening before the last Wednesday of the Persian year.

More on Wednesday

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, United States and 2 moreWorld Eskimo-Indian Olympics An annual Arctic gathering of traditional survival games, athletics, and cultural artsGame 🇮🇩 IndonesiaGalungan A Balinese Hindu festival welcoming ancestral spirits and honouring good over evilSpiritual 🇪🇸 Buñol, SpainLa Tomatina A one-hour tomato fight in Buñol on the last Wednesday of AugustFestival 🇮🇳 Muhamma, India and 5 moreAkhiri Chahar Shambah A day of bathing, prayer and charity on the last Wednesday of SafarSpiritual