The unlucky number 13 and its Friday
Friday the 13th is a day that has lived in infamy for centuries. But where did this superstition start?
The exact origins of the superstition of Friday 13 is unknown, however, many cultures believe the unlucky day and the number 13 have a religious connection.
In numerology (the belief that numbers hold significance on events) the number 12 is considered perfect.
There are 12 months in a year, 12 hours on a clock, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 tribes of Israel, Jesus had 12 disciples, 12 successors of Muhammed in Shia Islam and 12 years in the Chinese Buddhist cycle. The number 13 is believed to be an irregularity and imperfect.
Although there are no records of the superstition before the 19th century the day and the phobia (triskadekaphobia) is connected to Jesus Christ and the Last Supper.
Christ died on a Friday (Good Friday). In Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper there are 13 people sitting at the table with Christ, the 13th person is Judas. Judas ended up betraying Christ the next morning on a Friday.
In Norse mythology it is unlucky to have 13 people seated for dinner at a table. It is believed that this will lead to the death of one of the guests.
Nearly all the soldiers of the military group the Knights Templar were arrested and executed on Friday October 13, 1307.
The superstition’s connection with the Knights Templar was further popularised in novels like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
In Western pop culture Friday the 13th is the title of the popular horror movie franchise in which the reanimated corpse of Jason Vorhees stalks and kills campers near the lake where he drowned.
In Italian pop culture Friday the 17th is considered bad luck, the number 13 is actually considered lucky.
The belief is that you must not start new endeavours today, otherwise it will end up failing.
