For many, Friday the 13th is another day on the calendar. But those with paraskevidekatriaphobia the morbid fear of that exact date need to stay in bed, avoid travel, and protect themselves from black cats. But where did this fear come from? The bad luck of Friday the 13th isn’t the consequence of a single event, but comes as a “double whammy” of two ancient superstitions: the “unlucky 13” and the “cursed Friday.”
1. The Curse of the 13th Guest
In mythology and religion, the number 13 has been a “party pooper” for millennia. Two famous stories illustrate why 13 is considered a portent of doom:
- The Last Supper: 13 people sat at the table in the Christian tradition for Jesus’s last meal. Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest. So arose the superstition that having 13 people at a dinner table “courts death.”
- Norse Mythology: Long before the Middle Ages, a myth in Norse lore mentioned a banquet in Valhalla for 12 gods. The trickster god Loki wreaked havoc on the party as the 13th uninvited guest, causing the death of Balder, the god of joy.
2. Why Friday?
Although 13 was numerically "imperfect" compared with 12 being 'complete' 12 months, 12 signs in the zodiac and 12 apostles --Friday had its own dark reputation.
- The Crucifixion: As the Bible recounts, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
- Hangman’s Day: Traditionally the day of public executions in Britain, Friday would have led many to associate the day with the end of life.
3. The Templar Connection
One of the most popular theories on the superstition holds it to be from Friday, October 13, 1307, when King Philip IV of France ordered the huge arrests of the Knights Templar. Their fate, for their part, was not a natural evil. Thousands of monks were tortured and burned at the stake, making the date in history a day of betrayal and blood.
4. Modern Pop Culture
Fear didn’t really catch on until the 20th century. Thomas Lawson’s 1907 novel *Friday, the Thirteenth* (on a stock market crash) and the 1980s slasher franchise with Jason Voorhees turned a tenuous folk belief into a global cultural phenomenon.
In fact, not every culture embraces the idea. So for Italy, Friday the 17th is unlucky, and for Spanish-speaking nations, Tuesday the 13th is chills!
