December 13th, 2024 falls on a Friday, and with that comes up the topic of "Superstitions."
"Bad luck Friday"
For some, Friday the 13th is just another date on the calendar and, more importantly, Friday is the start to a weekend away from work and a time of freedom, relaxation, and fun. Maybe Friday the 13th is a favourite movie of yours, and for the superstitious amongst us, Friday the 13th is a day filled with ominous dread, so where did it all come from? In this article I try to break it down and find a source.
Ill-fated Friday
During the middle ages in Europe, Fridays were known as "The Hangman's Day," as it was the day most executions took place for convicted criminals. Fridays also get a bad reputation from religion, as it was a Friday that Jesus was crucified. Religion also held Fridays to be fasting days and days of penance, so you can probably imagine that over time Friday starts to become a day of the week you don't look forward to.
"Unlucky 13"
Bad luck and fear surrounding the number 13 seems to be a recent phenomena that start's to show up in the 17th century.
When you consider that the number 12 has always been a significant number both in mythology and religion, for example, the 12 Zodiac Signs or the 12 Apostles of Jesus. One reason why 13 is seen as unlucky is because it is considered to be "beyond completeness."
More significant references to the number 12.
12 Gods of Olympus
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Labours of Hercules
12 months of the year.
12 days of Yule
Getting back to its religious roots, at the Last Supper, Judas is said to have been the 13th guest at the Last Supper, later being the person who betrayed Jesus, which led to his crucifixion on a Friday.
In Norse mythology, a dinner party of the gods was ruined by the 13th guest called Loki, who caused the world to be plunged into darkness.
In pop culture, unlucky 13 is reflected in the Harry Potter Movies Series, where the first person to stand from a table of 13 soon meets their demise.
In our modern world, hotels will usually set a table of between 12 and 15 seats just to avoid the unlucky number. Many people continue this tradition in their own home, where an extra placement is set at the table to make it 14, and others will go as far as to fill the extra seat with a teddy bear or doll just to keep it filled.
In Ireland, on the registration plate of a car, the year the car is purchased is always displayed on the number plate, for example, 09 for the year 2009, 12 for the year 2012. In 2013, the Irish government added another number after the year, which indicated if the car was bought in the first or second half of the year. Beginning in 2013, car registration plates instead of reading 13, it now would read as 131 or 132...coincidence or superstition?
You may have heard some hotels refuse to acknowledge a 13th floor, instead calling it 12A or simply skipping to 14.
More superstitions reflected in our modern world are
Airlines skip a 13th seating row on planes.
Airports don't have a 13th Gate.
Italians omit 13 from the lottery.
Cities in America don't have a 13th street.
Some claims Witches gathered in covens of 12, the 13th was said to be The Devil.
If you have 13 letters in your name, you are said to have "the Devil's Luck," for example, Charles Manson & Jeffery Dahmer.
"Unlucky 13" certainly seems to be stuck in the social consciousness.
Friday the 13th
The combination of Friday and the number 13 as a day of particularly bad luck seems to be a relatively recent tradition, about 100 years old. There's even a special word for the fear of Friday 13th - paraskevidekatriaphobia. The Stress Management Centre and Phobia Institute even estimated in 2013 that between $800 and $900 million are lost in business every Friday the 13th because people are afraid to shop, travel, and conduct business.
Supposedly, Cain killed Abel on Friday the 13th.
Friday 13th, 1940 - Buckingham Palace was bombed during WWII.
Friday 13th, 1996 - Tupac Shakur died.
Friday 13th, 2012 - The Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Italy.
Friday 13th, 1952 - Swedish flight DC-3 vanished and was never heard from again.
Here's a date to look forward to.
Friday the 13, April 2029 - In 2029, an asteroid will come extremely close to Earth.
The only exception to an unlucky Friday the 13th is when it falls on a Good Friday in April, the day of Jesus's crucifixion. It is known to be the only Friday that goes against the superstitions, hence the name "Good Friday."
It's said to be lucky if you were born on a Good Friday, while sailors, who are notoriously superstitious, would sometimes begin a long voyage on a Good Friday because of its holy connections.
13 is considered lucky by some Pagans; it is linked to 13 full moons every 2½ years, signifying balance and renewal of energy in nature.
Tell me your thoughts on Friday the 13th. Is it just another day for you? Maybe you have some rituals to ward off the bad luck by wearing a lucky jumper or bracelet?
Maybe you go against the flow and find the day to be lucky for you? A day to buy a lottery ticket maybe.
Are there any superstitions relating to Friday the 13th that I didn't mention in this article?