Friday the 13th…

When I woke up this morning I started wondering how today got such a bad reputation for being unlucky.  It felt like any other day, better even because it is a Friday!  Who doesn’t love one of those?  I certainly do.  So why is this day the favorite of horror films?  It is such a “scary” day it even has its very own phobia: Paraskevidekatriaphobia.  That word gives me chills all by itself…way too many syllables. Well don’t you worry, I did some research and here is all you need to know:

Apparently the day Friday has long been considered unlucky, since at least the 14th Century.  It is associated with stock market crashes and is considered a bad day to start new things or go on trips. 

The number 13 is deemed malicious because its predecessor, 12 is thought to be so perfect and divine.  Twelve months in the year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve hours on a clock, twelve apostles, etc.  Thirteen got its bad rap for simply being the number after twelve.  Doesn’t seem fair, does it?  

That isn’t all, of course.  There is more.  In Norse mythology Friday was named for Frigga, a goddess of love and fertility who was banished as a witch when they converted to Christianity.  It was told that every Friday she would meet with eleven other witches and the devil and plot against them. 

The Knights Templar were the protectors of the Christians during the crusades.  On Friday the 13th, 1307 King Phillip of France secretly ordered that they all be rounded up and arrested.  That may sound familiar if you read or watched The Da Vinci Code. 

So it would seem this little superstition has been around for sometime now in one form or another.  The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that more then 17 million people suffer from a fear of this day. People stay home where they feel safe from any unlucky occurrences befalling them, causing around $800 million to be lost in business. Amazing, isn’t it? 

I understand superstitions somewhat, I suffer from a few myself.  Like it is unlucky to wear opals unless you were born in October for example.  I can’t help but wonder what other superstitions people suffer from out there.  Please share them with us!  If you dare…

Photo credits: here, here, here, here