Friday the 13th is known for being the most unlucky day of the year, with many people fearing what the day entails.
The unlucky date will occur for the first time this year this coming Friday, which is why we rounded up 13 things you might not know about this ominous day.
Whether you think it’s unlucky or not, cross your fingers (and maybe your toes) and check out these 13 interesting facts about Friday the 13th.
How did it start?
There are a number of theories about the origins of Friday the 13th and its association with all things unlucky. One theory is that the superstition stems from early Christianity because thirteen is the number of people present at the Last Supper (Jesus and his 12 apostles), which took place on Maundy Thursday. At the Last Supper, Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th member of the party to arrive. Jesus died the next day on Good Friday.
Not all cultures fear Friday the 13th
Not all cultures believe Friday the 13th is unlucky. In Spanish and Greek cultures, Tuesday the 13th is considered far more ominous. In Italian culture, Friday the 17th is considered to be even unluckier than the 13th.
Blame it on Sunday
For a month to have a Friday the 13th, it must begin with a Sunday. If you don’t believe us, check your calendar for yourself.
It can come in three
Friday the 13th will happen at least once a year but can occur as many as three times a year. In 2018, it will occur twice on April 13 and July 13.
The fear is real
Millions of people in the world, including prolific horror writer Stephen King, have an irrational fear of the number 13, which is known as “triskaidekaphobia.” People also fear Friday the 13th, which is known as “paraskevidekatriaphobia” or “friggatriskaidekaphobia,” depending on who you talk to.
Superstition Treatment
Near Philadelphia is the Friggatriskaidekaphobia Treatment Center, an organization that hosts parties centred on confronting common phobias like walking under a ladder, stepping on a crack, breaking a mirror and opening an umbrella indoors.
In literature
One of the first Friday the 13th stories was written by Thomas Lewson in 1907. The story, titled Friday, the thirteenth, was about a Wall Street broker who chose the day to enact his rage and destroy the stock market.
Celebrities and the 13th
A number of celebrities were born on Friday the 13th including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Steve Buscemi, and Peter Tork. Tupac Shakur died on Friday, September 13, 1996, after a hail of bullets hit his car in Las Vegas.
‘I Do’
If you happen to be in Las Vegas and you’re in the mood to say ‘I do’, the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel offers special zombie, gothic, vampire and “Rocky Horror”-themed ceremonies on Friday the 13th.
Friday the 13th in space
According to NASA, on Friday, April 13, 2029, a large asteroid called Asteroid 2004 MN4, will fly close enough to Earth to be visible without a telescope, but it will not hit.
In Ontario…
In Port Dover, ON, motorcyclists from all over Canada gather every Friday the 13th for massive rallies that draw thousands of participants. The tradition dates back to 1981.
Inspiration in film
The extremely successful Friday the 13th franchise includes 12 horror films, a TV series, six films adapted into novels, comic books, and more. The mask worn by the main character in the films, Jason Voorhees, is one of the most recognizable images in pop culture.
13 is a dodgy number
The number 13 has always been looked at as an odd number, while the number 12 is more complete. There are 12 months in a year, 12 hours of the clock, 12 zodiac signs, 12 Apostles of Jesus, 12 Gods of Olympus, and 12 Days of Christmas. Not to mention most elevators don’t have a 13th floor. So, what comes in 13? Apparently, you need 13 witches to form a coven. Spooky.
See also
Ainsley Smith Ainsley is a Staff Writer at Daily Hive. She's a former Vancouverite turned Torontonian who is passionate about avocado toast, aesthetics, and avocado toast aesthetics. Story idea? E-mail me at @ainsleysmithy @ainsleysmithy Ainsley is a Staff Writer at Daily Hive. She's a former Vancouverite turned Torontonian who is passionate about avocado toast, aesthetics, and avocado toast aesthetics. Story idea? E-mail me at [email protected]
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Photo Credit: realdepartment.com
Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. While the dreaded combination evokes feelings of unease even among non-believers, for the superstitious, it is the unluckiest day of the year. Their intense fear, dubbed friggatriskaidekaphobia, leads to symptoms that range from mild anxiety to a nagging suspicion of bad luck to full-blown panic attacks. While some of the trepidation can be attributed to the namesake movie series, the day’s bad reputation was well-established long before Jason Voorhees, the film’s hockey-masked villain, first appeared on the big screen in 1980.
Some experts think it all starts with the fear of 13 or Triskaidekaphobia. According to University of Delaware associate policy professor Thomas Fernsler, thirteen is considered unlucky because it follows the “perfect” number 12. There are, after all, 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, etcetera.
Image Credit: Succo via Pixabay.com CCO
Folklore historian David Dorsey attributes the number’s bad reputation to a myth from the time when the Vikings occupied Scandinavia. A dozen gods were enjoying a quiet dinner party in Valhalla, the mythological Norse heaven, when Loki, the god of mischief walked in uninvited. According to the legend, he instigated Hoder, the blind god of darkness to kill Balder, the god of joy and gladness. Dorsey says to this day, Nordic residents avoid dinner parties with 13 guests, for fear that one of them will end up dead.
Legend has it that US President Franklin D. Roosevelt hated the date so much that he never traveled on the 13th nor invited just 13 guests to a meal. American author and humorist Mark Twain became a believer after he was left starving as the 13th guest at a party that had catered food for only 12. The French even go as far as 'renting' a special 14th guest, or quatorzieme, to avert bad luck.
Image Credit: michelinam.wordpress.com
Friday has its own set of problems. According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified on this day. While the date was not the 13th, it was shortly after his final meal, the “Last Supper,” which featured 13 guests, including Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin for 30 silver coins. Some biblical scholars think that it was on a Friday when Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit, though the date is unknown. The only historical event believed to have occurred on Friday the 13th, is the slaying of Adam and Eve’s son Abel, by his brother Cain. A more recent tragedy was the sinking of the Costa Concordia, the world’s largest passenger ship, which happened on Friday, January 13th, 2012.
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Experts estimate that American businesses lose as much as $900 million every time the 13th falls on a Friday because many people avoid getting on airplanes or making substantial purchases like a home or car. Though bad for the economy, the irrational fear does benefit non-believers. Airlines often offer discounted fares and many retail stores have special deals to attract customers to stores. So, instead of cowering in fear, use the dreaded day to firm up your summer travel or buy the game you have been eyeing for so long.
Happy Friday The 13th
MANY consider Friday the 13th to be one of the unluckiest dates in the year, and the first one of 2018 takes place TOMORROW.
Whether you are superstitious or not, here is everything you need to know about the widely-feared day...
Getty Images Many consider Friday the 13th to be one of the most unlucky dates in the year
When is the next Friday the 13th?
Approximately 20 Friday the 13ths occur every decade.
In 2018, the deadly date is first rearing its ugly head TOMORROW.
If that wasn't all, it will return at the height of summer in July.
Why is Friday the 13th unlucky?
Considering Friday the 13th as unlucky dates back for hundreds of years, with the tradition said to have begun in the Middle Ages or even Biblical times.
Some say the superstition arose from Jesus’ last supper, where is it thought there were 13 people present on the night before his death – which occurred on a Friday.
Thanks to a string of events that have occurred on this day, many feel it is jinxed and pay particular care to avoid catastrophe when it comes around.
AP:Associated Press The suspicious circumstances surrounding Tupac's death continue to haunt Friday 13th
The fear is so widespread that psychologists have even come up with a word for those who suffer from it: paraskavedekatriaphobia.
Casinopedia's research suggests that 49 million Brits are superstitious about Friday 13.
What are the spookiest things that have happened on Friday the 13th?
Last January, there were plenty of unfortunate occurrences on the notorious date.
Some Christians even worried that the world was going to end on January Friday 13th.
Legendary horror writer William Peter Blatty, who penned The Exorcist, passed away.
If that wasn't tragic enough, the news followed the death of the Catholic priest who inspired the iconic horror.
And the child actor who played Damien in The Omen and punched two cyclists in a road rage attack has arrived at court for sentencing.
Alamy The Nazis targeted Buckingham Palace on Friday 13th, 1940
While this trail of destruction may seem unusual, it's far from odd for bad things to happen on Friday the 13th.
Tupak Shakur's mysterious death, the sinking of the Costa Concordia and a Buckingham Palace bombing are among the chaos to ensue on the date that's shrouded in superstition.
MANY consider Friday the 13th to be one of the most unlucky dates in the year, so be careful – because it falls TOMORROW.
Whether you are superstitious or not, here is everything you need to know about the widespread apprehension surrounding the day.
Getty Images Many consider Friday the 13th to be one of the most unlucky dates in the year
Why is Friday the 13th unlucky?
Considering Friday the 13th as unlucky dates back for hundreds of years, with the tradition said to have begun in the Middle Ages or even Biblical times.
Some say the superstition arose from Jesus’ last supper, where is it thought there were 13 people present on the night before his death – which occurred on a Friday.
Thanks to a string of events that have occurred on this day, many feel it is jinxed and pay particular care to avoid catastrophe when it comes around.
The fear is so widespread – an estimate suggests an extraordinary 17-21 million Americans are afraid of the day – that psychologists have even come up with a word for those who suffer from it: paraskavedekatriaphobia.
Alamy Some say the superstition arose from Jesus’ last supper with the 13th member being the traitor Judas Iscariot
Where did the superstition come from?
One of the most popularised stories surrounding the origin of the superstition was when multitudes of Knights Templar were captured and tortured in France in 1307 on Friday, October 13.
In his Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer also referred to the unlucky day, saying that starting a journey or a project on a Friday is bad luck.
And according to Thomas Fernsler, a University of Delaware professor, the fear of the number 13 comes from it following 12, which is seen as a more ‘safe number.’
Twelve is seen as a more complete number, as there were 12 apostles and we have 12 months and 12 zodiac signs.
As a result of the fear of the number 13, many buildings and hotels, such as the Carlton in London, skip having a 13th floor entirely.
The number 13 is also often associated with witchcraft, as it is deemed the number of witches you need to form a coven.
Getty Images One of the most popularised stories surrounding the origin of the superstition was when multitudes of Knights Templar were captured and tortured in France in 1307 on October 13
When does the date next fall?
Approximately 20 Friday the 13ths occur every decade.
In 2018, the deadly date is first rearing its ugly head TOMORROW.
If that wasn't all, it will return at the height of summer in July.
What bad things have happened on Friday the 13th?
Some have argued it's not all silly superstition, as several deadly plane crashes and grisly murders have happened on this day.
1. Legendary rapper Tupac Shakur died on Friday September 13, 1996, six days after being shot in a Las Vegas drive-by.
It was one of hip-hop's biggest tragedies but the murder remains unsolved, leading to hundreds of different conspiracy theories, including arguments that the music producer isn’t actually dead.
AP Tupac Shakur died on Friday September 13, 1996
2. On Friday 13, 1976, a man was killed when the roof of his flat caved in.
Spookily, Daz Pearson had chosen to stay home because he had a bad feeling something was going to happen to him.
3. Experts at The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina have previously estimated that over £700million is lost every year because people miss work over Friday 13th superstitions.
But the biggest money crisis occurred in a mini crash on October 13, 1989. It was the Dow Jones Industrial Average's second largest crash to date.
4. The life of a daredevil is always precarious, but the death of Sam Patch has left conspiracy theorists talking for centuries.
In 1829, The Yankee Leaper attempted to jump from 125 feet into Niagara River, near the Falls.
Over 8,000 onlookers gathered to watch the terrifying spectacle, but Sam never surfaced again.
Getty Images Daredevil Sam Patch died on Friday 13 in 1829, after his stunt went wrong
5. The world was shocked when Kitty Genovese was brutally stabbed and raped by a stranger on March 13, 1964.
Horrifically, the attack lasted for over 30 minutes – during which time 38 witnesses walked passed without phoning the police.
Following the brutal murder, psychologists coined the term the 'bystander effect', which is now used to explain how people in crowds always act with humanity.
Getty Images Kitty Genovese was brutally stabbed and raped by a complete stranger on Friday March 13, 1964
6. On Friday October 13, 1972, a plane crashed in the Andes killing 12 people.
The 16 survivors were forced to eat the bodies of the dead victims in order to keep themselves alive until they were rescued.
7. During World War II, the Nazis dropped five bombs on Buckingham Palace on September 13, 1940.
One person died when bombs struck the London landmark, taking out the Royal Chapel and destroying the water main.
Luckily, the now Queen Elizabeth II and King George VI weren’t present at the time of the attack.
Getty Images The KKK's Nathan Bedford Forrest was born on Friday July 13, 1877
8. On July 13, 1877, the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, was born.
9. The Bhola cyclone struck Bangladesh and India, killing 500,000 people on Friday November 13 in 1970.
10. The original Black Friday occurred in 1989 on Friday October 13, when a failed buyout deal for United Airlines’ parent company fell through sending global markets plunging.
11. In 2012, the Costa Concordia sank on Friday 13 January, causing the death of 32 people.
The cruise liner was carrying more than 4,000 people when it hit a rock off the coast of Italy.
Getty Images 32 people died when the Costa Concordia sank on the coast of Italy on Friday January 13, 2012
12. On Friday October 13, 1307, thousands of Crusader warriors were imprisoned and later tortured by officers of the French King Philip IV.
13. Devastating bush fires tore through Victoria in Australia on January 13, 1939.
The fire caused 36 fatalities in just one day with the flames destroying 75 per cent of the state.
Paramount Pictures Friday the 13th is a hugely successful Hollywood horror film series
How many Friday the 13th movies are there?
The phobia of the date has been translated into a hugely successful Hollywood horror film series called Friday the 13th.
Since 1980 the franchise has spawned 12 slasher movies focusing on the fictional character of Jason Voorhees, whose hockey mask has become a recognisable symbol for the series.
Before the movies existed, the most famous cultural reference to the date was a book by Thomas Lawson, published in 1907.
The Friday the Thirteenth novel centres around a stockbroker who attempts to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the year.
