Some people believe that Friday the 13th is the most unlucky day of the year with bad luck is said to befall everyone on this date. But is Friday the 13th as unlucky as many people believe?
Not likely, but don’t say that to someone who runs for cover every time Friday the 13th appears on the calendar since they most definitely have paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the scientific word for someone who has a fear of Friday the 13th.
Fear for Friday the 13th may have been amplified by the slasher-movie series, but where did the superstition originate?
It’s derived from the Greek words for Friday and thirteen with phobia, or fear, tacked on.
There are many theories about why Fridays which fall on the 13th day of the month are unlucky.
Some people think that Norse mythology is where the Friday the 13th superstition got its start. According to one tale, Loki, the malevolent god, invaded a gathering of 12 people and deceived Hod, the blind god, into killing Balder, the god of joy, light, and reconciliation.
Also, in British history, Friday was the usual day for public hangings, and there were reputedly 13 steps leading up to the noose, according to Norse mythology, the Vikings were the ones who decided a hangman’s noose should have 13 loops.
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Others think Christianity is the source of Friday the 13th. There were 13 men present at the Last Supper, including Jesus and his 12 disciples, and the Bible claims that Jesus was executed on a Friday. 13 is also seen to bear a type of curse because Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table.
In some places, it is also believed that it was Friday the 13th when Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit.
The fact that a terrible Friday the 13th occurred in the Middle Ages is a key component of the folklore. This day in 1306, when King Philip of France imprisoned and started torturing the revered Knights Templar, was known as a day of evil. Historically, Friday and the number 13 have both been strongly linked to the death penalty.
In Numerology, every number has a particular meaning. The number 13 symbolizes “Death”. It’s a picture of a skeleton with a scythe, reaping down men.
Tradition also has it that God confounded languages at the tower of Babel on a Friday the 13th, and Solomon’s Temple was destroyed on a Friday the 13th.
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By some estimates, businesses lose millions of dollars on Friday the 13th because people are hesitant to make deals, travel, or shop as they would at other times.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue and there is no gate 13 at many airports, the numbers go from twelve to fourteen.
Whatever its genesis, the truth remains that many individuals have superstitions related to the number 13, especially when it occurs on a Friday.
When does Friday the 13th fall in 2024?
There will be two Friday the 13ths next year.
The first one will fall in September with the second one in December.
There is just one in 2025 − it will be in June.
