Do you dread Friday the 13th, is it really a unlucky day where bad luck occurs? . Many people over the years have been very careful what they do and where they go on this date as it is suppose to be a fated day that no matter what, everything will go wrong no matter what you do, but where does the superstition come from?
There are many mysteries that surround the origin of Friday the 13th and many of these superstitions go back centuries.
Here are just some of the reasons why it is thought people dread Friday the 13th:
On October 13, 1307, The Pope of the Roman Catholic church, in combination with the King of France, was sentenced a monastic military order known as the Knights Templar to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion of their leader. It is thought by many that the modern basis for the Friday the 13th superstition is most likely to come from this incident.
Twelve is historically thought to be a number of completeness, it is the full cycle. For example, there are 12 months in the year, 12 hours on the clock face and 12 signs of the zodiac. The next number, 13, is therefore seen as an irregular outlier and somehow unlucky.
Not only that there are normally 13 witches in coven, the 13th Tarot card is the sign of death and Friday was once known as Hangman’s Day because people were commonly hung on this day.
Religion wise, many Christians believe that Friday the 13th is associated with the bible. Judas was supposedly the 13th guest to sit down at the last supper before he betrayed Jesus. Christ was then crucified on a Friday. Some religious people believe and claim that Eve bit the apple in the Garden of Eden on a Friday, prompting God to expel her and Adam from the garden. Looking back as far the 14th Century, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale noted: “And on a Friday fell all this mischance”.
Scandinavians believed 13 signified bad luck because their 13th mythological demigod Loki was an evil one who brought great misfortune upon humans. Hindus believed that it was unlucky for 13 people to gather in one place.
But there are also widespread modern literary references, for example, Thomas W Lawson’s 1907 novel ‘Friday, the Thirteenth’ tells the story of a stock broker who create a Wall Street panic on Friday the 13th and there is even a word for the fear of the date being: paraskevidekatriaphobia.
So to prevent things from happening, people from across the world follow certain traditions on this day to prevent bad luck. Below is a list of things thought to prevent any misfortunes from happening during the day.
If you leave your calendar turned to Friday the 13th, a witch will claim you on the 14th.
Don¹t consult the stars on Friday the 13th, so make sure it is turned over!
Never start a new business on Friday the 13th.
On Friday the 13th, to sleep without bad luck, fold the pantyhose or stockings of a woman across the foot of the bed with a straight pen inside one of the folds.
Never move house or get married on this day.
Nationally public transport and offices are often emptier on Friday 13th, it is thought that people follow the superstition so much so that people book the day off and shield themselves away.