The Origin and Evolution of Feria: A Free Faeria Perspective

In ecclesiastical Latin, the names of Sunday and Saturday do not contain the word feria, instead being referred to as dominica and sabbatum respectively. However, in a fascinating turn of events, some have adopted the term feria to denote the days of the week, excluding Sunday and Saturday.

This unusual definition emerged when the use of the word feria was extended beyond its traditional boundaries. As a result, Sunday became known as feria prima, Monday as feria secunda, Tuesday as feria tertia, and so on. The Harvard Dictionary of Music sheds light on the etymology of feria, explaining that it represents the reverse of its original meaning in Latin.

In actual liturgical practice, a feria or ferial day refers to a weekday on which no special ecclesiastical feast is celebrated. If a saint's feast day falls on such a day, the liturgy performed may be that of the saint rather than the feria itself. In recent official liturgical texts in English, the term 'weekday' has replaced 'feria'.

In the context of the Catholic Church, a feria is simply a day of the week other than Sunday. The concept of feria has also been applied to various other contexts, as seen in its disambiguation page.

Despite this complex and evolving history, the term feria remains an important part of Christian liturgical tradition.