or the Lord's day, a solemn festival observed by Christians on the first day of every week, in memory of our Saviour's resurrection. See SABBATH.

In the breviary and other offices we meet with Sundays of the first and second class. Those of the first class are, Palm, Easter, Advent, and Whitunday, those of Quadragesima. Those of the second class are the common Sundays. Anciently each Sunday in the year had its particular name, which was taken from the introit of the day; which custom has only been continued to some few in Lent; as Reminiscentia, Occultatione, Lectura, Judicia.

Some are of opinion that the Lord's day, mentioned in the Apocalypse, is our Sunday; which they believe was so early instituted by the apostles. Be this as it will, it is certain a regard was had to this day even in the earliest ages of the church; as appears from the first apology of Justin Martyr, where he describes the exercise of the day not much unlike to ours.

But it was Constantine the Great who first made a law for the proper observation of Sunday; and who, according to Eusebius, appointed it should be regularly celebrated throughout the Roman empire. Before him, and even in his time, they observed the Jewish Sabbath as well as Sunday; both to satisfy the law of Moses and to imitate the apostles, who used to meet together on the first day.

By Constantine's laws, made in 321, it was decreed, that for the future the Sunday should be kept a day of rest in all cities and towns; but he allowed the country people to follow their work. In 538, the council of Orleans prohibited country labour; but because there were still many Jews in Gaul, and the people fell into many superstitious usages in the celebration of the new Sabbath, like those of the Jews among that of the old, the council declares, that to hold it unlawful to travel with horses, cattle, and carriages, to prepare food, or to do anything necessary to the cleanliness and decency of houses or persons, favours more of Judaism than of Christianity. See SABBATH-Breaking.