Editing Sunday (section)

===Christian usage===
{{See also|Sabbath in Christianity}}

The ancient Romans traditionally used the eight-day [[Nundinae|nundinal cycle]], a market week, but in the time of [[Augustus]] in the 1st century AD, a seven-day week also came into use.

In [[the gospels]], the [[Women at the tomb|women are described as coming to the empty tomb]] "{{langx|grc|εις μια των σαββατων|label=none}}",<ref>Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2</ref> which literally means "toward the first of the sabbath" and is often translated "on the first day of the week".

[[Justin Martyr]], in the mid-2nd century, mentions "memoirs of the apostles" as being read on "the day called that of the sun" (Sunday) alongside the "writings of the prophets."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Citation | first = Justin | last = Martyr | title = [[First Apology]] | at = 67.3}}.</ref>

On 7 March 321, [[Constantine the Great|Constantine I]], Rome's first Christian emperor, decreed that Sunday would be observed as the Roman day of rest:<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Zerubavel
| first = Eviatar
| title = The Seven Day Circle: The History and Meaning of the Week
| publisher = University of Chicago Press
| date = 1989
| page = 45
| isbn = 9780226981659}}</ref>

{{blockquote|On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.<ref>Philip Schaff, [https://books.google.com/books?id=SgtOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA380 ''History of the Christian Church: Vol. II: From Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great A.D. 311–600''] (New York: Charles Scribner, 1867) page 380 note 1.</ref>}}

Despite the official adoption of Sunday as a day of rest by Constantine, the seven-day week and the nundinal cycle continued to be used side by side until at least the [[Chronography of 354|Calendar of 354]] and probably later.<ref>[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chronography_of_354_06_calendar.htm The Chronography of 354, Part 6: The calendar of Philocalus] A–G is the seven day week and A–H is the nundinal cycle.</ref>

In 363, Canon 29 of the [[Council of Laodicea]] prohibited observance of the [[Jews|Jewish]] [[Sabbath]] (Saturday), and encouraged Christians to work on Saturday and rest on the Lord's Day (Sunday).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf214.viii.vii.iii.xxxiv.html |title=Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea |publisher=Ccel.org |date=2005-06-01 |access-date=2011-12-16}}</ref> The fact that the canon had to be issued at all is an indication that adoption of Constantine's decree of 321 was still not universal, not even among Christians. It also indicates that Jews were observing the Sabbath on Saturday.