Tuesday: Tiw’s and Mars' Day
Tuesday is the second day of the week according to the international standard ISO 8601, although some cultures count it as the third day of the week.
Mars, Roman god of war.
©bigstockphoto.com/jpfigueiredo
In the Gregorian calendar, Tuesday comes after Monday and before Wednesday.
Naming Tuesday: Tiu's Day
Originally, Tuesday was named after the Roman god of war, Mars (pictured). However, the Norse people named it after their god of war, Tyr. The English word Tuesday is derived from Old English and means “Tiw's day,” a spelling variant of Tyr's day. In most languages with Latin origins, the day is named after the god and planet Mars. For example, in Spanish, Tuesday is called martes, in French mardi, and martedì in Italian.
- Old English – Tīwesdæg – Tiw's day
- Middle English – tiwesday or tewesday
- Old Norse – týsdagr
- Latin – dies Martis – Day of Mars
- Ancient Greek – hemera Areos – Day of Ares
Second Day of the Week
According to the international standard ISO 8601, Tuesday is the second day of the week. However, in the US, Canada, and Japan, it's counted as the third day if the week.
What is the first day of the week?
Unlucky in Greece and Spain
Tuesday is considered to be an unlucky day in the Greek world because the Fall of Constantinople occurred on a Tuesday. Spanish-speaking countries also consider Tuesday an unlucky day.
However, Tuesday is considered a lucky day in Judaism because it is mentioned twice as a good day in the first chapter of Genesis.
Why does Tuesday follow Monday?
US Election Day
The United States usually hold elections on a Tuesday, at all levels—local, state, and federal. Many states hold their presidential primary elections on a single Tuesday in late winter, which is referred to as Super Tuesday.
Fat Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday, which is also called Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), is the day before the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar.