Friday the 13th is considered by some to be the unluckiest day of the year. If you’re one of the estimated 17 to 21 million who are superstitious about this day, then you’re no doubt viewing it with caution.
But where does this fear come from?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where and when this fear originated. Was the number 13 feared first and then Friday or the other way around? And where does Friday the 13th come in?
Let’s break it down.
The Basics – The Fears Have Names:
Fear of Friday is called friggatriskaidekaphobia
Fear of 13 is called triskaidekaphobia
Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia
Why is the Number 13 Feared?
No one knows for sure but there are some theories.
Some date it back to a myth in Norse mythology where there were 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. Loki, a trickster god, was not invited but came anyway and was the 13th guest. Loki had arranged for guest Hodur to shoot Baldur (the host) with a mistletoe-tipped arrow (mistletoe being the only thing that could kill him). Baldur died and the whole Earth got dark and mourned. Some think this is why the number 13 is considered unlucky.
It is also attributed to the Last Supper which was attended by Jesus and his 12 disciples, one of which, Judas, would eventually betray Jesus. This led some to consider having 13 guests at the table to be unlucky.
Another thought involves one of the oldest legal documents in existence: the Code of Hammurabi. It was written between 1755 and 1750 BC and is a list of nearly 300 laws. But oddly, the 13th law didn’t get written in the code. Some think it was just an error. Others think it was because 13 was considered an unlucky and evil number.
Some numerologists believe that the number 13 is considered unlucky because of its relation to the number 12. The number 12 is considered a complete number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 days of Christmas, 12 hours on a clock, 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 gods of Olympus.
Why is Friday Considered Unlucky?
It’s unknown exactly why Fridays are feared. Some date it back to Biblical times when certain events occurred on a Friday.
In later times, it was the work of writers who targeted Friday as a bad day.
In the 1390s, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote in his Canterbury Tales about Friday being a day of misfortune.
In the 16th, 17th, and 19th centuries, playwrights, poets, and authors also wrote about Fridays being unlucky, presumably playing off of Chaucer’s initial mention of it centuries earlier.
In North America, the idea of Fridays being unlucky may have originated in the 19th century when executions were held on Fridays.
Why is Friday the 13th feared?
The origin of this particular fear is unclear, but some believe it dates back to the 14th century.
In 1307, more than a hundred of the Knights Templar were imprisoned on charges of various illegal behaviors. Many of them were tortured and killed by King Philip IV of France on Friday, October 13th.
Yet others feel the superstition about Friday the 13th comes from a tale in Norse mythology.
Friday is named for Frigga, the goddess of love and fertility. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that on every Friday, she convened a meeting with eleven other witches plus the devil (which made a gathering of 13), and plotted misfortunes of fate for the coming week.
Either one of those events or neither one could be the origin of Friday the 13th superstition, however, one thing we know for sure is that it wasn’t until the early 20th century that it became a recognized thing.
In 1907, a book titled Friday the Thirteenth, written by stockbroker Thomas Lawson, was published. It’s about a stockbroker who used Friday the 13th being unlucky to manipulate the stock market. Flash forward to the mini crash on Friday, October 13, 1989, when the market dropped 6.1 percent, perhaps perpetuating that superstition. That day is still referred to as “Black Friday.”
Take That 13!
Some people embrace the number 13 and are downright defiant about it. In order to prove the number 13 wasn’t unlucky, Captain William Fowler, who had fought in 13 Civil War battles, founded an exclusive society in the 1880s. Named the Thirteen Club, the 13 members would meet in room 13 of the Knickerbocker Cottage on the 13th day of the month at 13 minutes past the hour and have a 13-course dinner. Prior to dinner, members would pass beneath a ladder and a banner reading “Morituri te Salutamus,” which is Latin for “Those of us who are about to die salute you.” Among the honorary members over time were five presidents: Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.
Bad for your Health?
In 1993, a study was conducted and reported on in the British Medical Journal entitled “Is Friday the 13th Bad for Your Health?” In the study, the ratio of traffic volume to the number of automobile accidents on Friday the 6th and 13th were compared over a number of years. It was found that consistently fewer people chose to drive on the 13th but the number of hospital admissions due to automobile accidents increased on the 13th compared to the 6th. Perhaps one reason for that is maybe more people were on edge driving on the 13th and that distraction caused accidents.
Economic Losses
An estimated $800-$900 million is lost in business on Friday the 13th in the U.S. because people won’t travel or do business, and many just take the day off from work to be safe.
The Famous and 13
Author Stephen King won’t watch TV channel 13 or any channels divided by 13. It’s said he will skip the 13th step on staircases, and while reading books, make a point not to pause on pages in which the digits add up to 13, like page 67.
Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg wouldn’t number the 13th measure in his music, calling it 12a instead. He deliberately misspelled the name of one of his operas because the correct spelling was 13 letters long. He died at age 76 (which added up to 13) on July 13, 1951 — a Friday.
Director Alfred Hitchcock, known as the master of suspense, was born on Friday, August 13, 1899. His directorial debut was in 1922 with a movie called Number 13, but, unfortunately, the film never got off the ground due to financial troubles.
Horror Franchise
The 1980 slasher film, Friday the 13th, introduced a hockey mask-wearing killer named Jason. The movie spawned multiple sequels, as well as novellas, video games, and comic books. It also inspired a television series but in name only as the show (which dealt with cursed objects) had nothing to do with the movies. Grisly as it all is, the films grossed over $468 million at the box office worldwide and now has a cult following.
Statistics
There is at least one Friday the 13th in every calendar year but there can never be more than three in one year.
Debunking the Myth?
Some research suggests that Friday the 13th may not be unlucky after all. Many studies have shown that the day has little or no effect on events like accidents, hospital visits, and natural disasters, no matter what the British Medical Journal said.
Fun Facts
In Italy, it’s the number 17 and Friday the 17th that are feared. The reason is believed to be in the way the number 17 is written in Roman numerals — XVII — which when rearranged to VIXI is translated to a death omen — “I have lived.” For Italians, the superstition around Friday has to do with Jesus’ crucifixion.
In Greece and in Spanish-speaking countries, it’s Tuesday the 13th that is considered bad luck.
Many high-rise buildings and hotels avoid having a labeled 13th floor. Some airports even skip having a gate 13 and some airlines won’t have a flight or labeled row 13.
Be vigilant on Friday, April 13, 2029, as asteroid 99942 Apophis (also known as 2004 MN4) comes close to Earth. NASA says we’ll be fine, and it will miss us entirely as it will be 18,600 miles above ground. It will be mostly visible in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Another event of this nature may not be seen for another 1,000 or so years.
So, what do you think? Is the number 13 unlucky? Or Friday? Is Friday the 13th something to dread? Who knows? That’s for you to decide.
