7 March - Wednesday

321 The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great proclaimed Sunday a day of rest
1876 ​​Birthday of the phone: Alexander Bell patented the telephone he invented
1912 Amundsen notified the world of the discovery of the South Pole
1960 The first cosmonaut detachment was formed in the USSR

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Today in most countries of the world, including Russia, Sunday is the official day off.
And for the first time Sunday was declared a day off on March 7, 321. It was on this day that the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, eighteen years earlier, for the first time allowed the free confession of Christianity, proclaimed Sunday a day of rest. No order of the authorities in history was observed with such pleasure, as the edict of Constantine.
On this day the markets were to be closed, and state institutions - to cease all activities except for the operations for the liberation of slaves. There were no restrictions on agricultural labor, in which the overwhelming majority of the population took part, was not imposed.
Before the edict of Constantine, the citizens of the Roman Empire celebrated on this day - "the day of the Sun". The echo of this tradition is preserved in the modern name of Sunday in a number of European languages. Constantine changed the tradition somewhat. And the reason for this was a dream: on the eve of the most important battle, he dreamed of a cross in the sun and an inscription that promised victory with this sign. The dream was prophetic, Constantine really won. That's why the emperor banned physical labor on Sunday and dedicated it to the Lord.
Since then, in Christian countries, Sunday is considered a holiday - the day when believers usually visit the church. In some countries where the official religion is Islam, as well as in Israel, Sunday is a normal working day.