Friday the 13th: More Than Just Superstition

Friday the 13th is known as an unlucky day in Western superstition, but few people know the strange and spooky history behind this date.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia, which is derived from Frigga (the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named) and triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number thirteen). But why is this particular date associated with bad luck and the paranormal?

In numerology, the number 12 is considered a complete number, so 13 is seen as inauspicious since it goes beyond completeness. Thirteen guests at the Last Supper led to the betrayal of Jesus on a Friday, according to Christian beliefs. Both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment, and hangings often took place on Fridays.

The convergence of a Friday and 13th day of the month is considered a double whammy of unlucky energy by superstitious people. Accident statistics show that fewer vehicles are on the road and fewer airplane flights depart on these dates.

Strange occurrences have happened historically on these dates as well. For example, the Friday the 13th mass arrests of the Knights Templar in 1307. Or the Friday the 13th storm in the North Sea which killed over 300 people in 1826. Even the ill-fated Apollo 13 moon mission was launched at 13:13 CST on April 13, 1970.

So if you notice your black cat walking backward across your path today, or if you break a mirror, don’t say it’s just a coincidence. The notorious date of Friday the 13th has a long history of weird happenings and paranormal patterns. Whether you believe in luck or not, beware today of any freaky Friday the 13th events!