The Origins of the Superstition Around Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th has long been a day cloaked in superstition and fear, notorious for its reputation as the unluckiest day in Western culture. Many people avoid making important decisions, travel plans, or even leaving the house on this day, worried that disaster is waiting just around the corner. But what is it about Friday the 13th that sends shivers down our collective spine? Where did this ominous superstition originate, and how has it evolved over time? The history of Friday the 13th is a fascinating tangle of mythology, religion, numerology, and pop culture. Let’s dive into this strange blend of fact and folklore.
Fear of the Number 13: Triskaidekaphobia
To truly understand why Friday the 13th stirs up so much dread, we first need to look at the number 13 itself. The fear of the number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia—a term that sounds almost as frightening as the superstition itself. In many cultures, 13 is considered an unlucky or even cursed number, especially when it breaks the pattern of 12, which has long been regarded as a number of completeness.
Think about it: there are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 disciples of Jesus, and 12 tribes of Israel. Even in daily life, we’re surrounded by the notion of 12 being perfect or harmonious, from a dozen eggs to a 12-inch ruler. Thirteen, by contrast, feels like a rogue outlier, an extra, unsettling digit that throws off the balance of life.
The roots of this superstition may go as far back as ancient Mesopotamian numerology, where the number 12 represented wholeness, leaving 13 as the unsettling step beyond. In these early civilizations, anything beyond 12 could symbolize chaos or disorder. Add to that, Norse mythology tells of a banquet in Valhalla where 12 gods were invited, but the trickster god Loki crashed the party as the 13th guest, leading to chaos and the death of Balder, the god of light and beauty.
Similarly, in Christianity, the Last Supper featured 13 people—Jesus and his 12 apostles—with Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, being the 13th to sit at the table. His betrayal ultimately led to Jesus’ crucifixion the following day, making Friday itself a day imbued with ill-fated significance.
Fridays and Bad Luck: A Day of Misfortune
If you thought the number 13 was problematic on its own, just wait until we throw Friday into the mix. Fridays have had a long history of bad associations, dating back to ancient times. In many cultures, Friday was considered an unlucky day, particularly for embarking on new ventures.
For Christians, Friday is deeply connected to the crucifixion of Jesus, which took place on Good Friday, a day marked by sorrow and mourning. For centuries, Fridays were considered days of penance and fasting in the Christian tradition, reinforcing their association with solemnity and misfortune.
In some accounts, it was also believed that Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on a Friday, that the Great Flood began on a Friday, and that the Temple of Solomon fell on a Friday. With so many tragic or momentous events tied to this day, it's no wonder Fridays became a time for caution.
In British maritime culture, sailors often refused to set sail on a Friday, fearing it would lead to disaster. There’s even an old wives' tale warning against starting a new job or project on a Friday. Pair this already unlucky day with the cursed number 13, and you’ve got a recipe for anxiety that could spook even the most rational person.
The Birth of the Friday the 13th Superstition
Despite the separate fears surrounding both the number 13 and Fridays, the superstition specifically linking Friday the 13th as a day of misfortune is actually a relatively modern phenomenon. While there’s evidence that both Fridays and the number 13 were considered unlucky in isolation for centuries, there is little to suggest that they were commonly paired together as a cursed day until the late 19th or early 20th century.
Some historians trace the Friday the 13th fear to the novel Friday, the Thirteenth, published in 1907 by stockbroker Thomas W. Lawson. In this book, a ruthless stockbroker exploits the superstition surrounding the day to trigger a panic on Wall Street, causing a massive financial crash. While the book was fictional, it helped solidify the idea of Friday the 13th as a day when catastrophe could strike.
But the true cultural explosion of the Friday the 13th superstition didn’t come until much later, when it collided with the world of horror films. In 1980, the slasher movie Friday the 13th was released, introducing the world to Camp Crystal Lake and the infamous killer Jason Voorhees. The movie was a massive success, spawning numerous sequels, and Friday the 13th quickly became synonymous with terror in pop culture. This cemented the day as not just unlucky, but terrifying in its own right.
Historical Events That Fueled the Fear
While the superstition may be modern, some point to a series of historical events that could have contributed to the growing fear around Friday the 13th.
One of the most famous of these is the mass arrest of the Knights Templar, which took place on Friday, October 13, 1307. The Templars, a powerful and wealthy military order during the Crusades, were rounded up by King Philip IV of France and charged with heresy, resulting in many being executed or tortured. Some conspiracy theories claim this event marked the origin of the curse on Friday the 13th, though there’s little historical evidence to suggest it was considered unlucky at the time.
Another event often tied to the superstition is the crash of the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. While the launch occurred on April 11, and the oxygen tank explosion that crippled the spacecraft happened on April 13, the connection between the unlucky number and near-disaster helped reinforce the idea that 13 is an inauspicious number in the modern era.
Psychological Impact: Why Do We Fear Friday the 13th?
Superstitions like Friday the 13th persist in part because of human psychology. Our brains are wired to recognize patterns, even when none exist. If something bad happens on a Friday the 13th, people are likely to remember it, reinforcing the belief that the day is cursed. Conversely, when nothing bad happens, we tend to brush it off, ignoring it as just another normal day.
There’s also the phenomenon of self-fulfilling prophecy. If people go into Friday the 13th expecting something to go wrong, they may behave more cautiously or anxiously, leading to mistakes or accidents. In this way, the superstition creates the conditions for its own validation.
Some studies have even suggested that Friday the 13th can lead to a measurable uptick in accidents, though this is likely due to increased stress or nervousness on the part of those who believe in the curse. One study from the 1990s reported a higher number of traffic accidents on Friday the 13th compared to other Fridays, though more research is needed to confirm whether this is a true pattern or just coincidence.
Friday the 13th in Modern Culture
Today, Friday the 13th continues to hold a unique place in Western culture, straddling the line between genuine fear and playful superstition. Some people take extra precautions on the day, while others celebrate it with parties, horror movie marathons, or themed events. It's a day when fears about bad luck mix with a wink and a nod to how irrational those fears may be.
Interestingly, not every culture views Friday the 13th as unlucky. In Spanish-speaking countries and Greece, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered the unluckiest day, while Italians fear Friday the 17th. Meanwhile, some groups, like Pagans, celebrate Friday as a lucky day connected to the goddess Freya, after whom the day is named. Even the number 13, which was historically associated with femininity and lunar cycles, has taken on different meanings in various cultural contexts.
Conclusion: A Modern Mythology
At the end of the day, the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th is a modern invention, an amalgamation of ancient fears about numbers, days, and religious events, polished into a pop culture phenomenon. What began as separate anxieties about the number 13 and Fridays has evolved into a worldwide superstition that, for many, still holds power. Whether you’re a true believer or someone who laughs in the face of fate, there’s no denying that Friday the 13th has become part of the cultural fabric—a day when myth, legend, and our primal fear of the unknown converge.
