Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Yikes, Friday the Thirteenth.

                                           

 Friday the thirteenth is a cultural phenomenon, rather than a single historical event, blending religious tradition, ancient folklore, modern media, and a movie franchise. 

   Number 13: The number 12 is seen as complete (months, zodiac signs etc.), making 13 disruptive and unlucky, a concept possibly linked to ancient mathematics.

 

   If you have Triskaidekaphobia a fear of Friday 13th, you've almost made it though the year as the 13th of February and March are in the past. But beware, November 13th is yet to come.

The Friday the 13th superstition is a blend of Christian beliefs (Judas as the 13th at the Last Supper, and Jesus' crucifixion on a Friday) and Norse mythology (Loki crashing a 12-god banquet leading to the death of the god Baldur.           

 Also an historical events like the Knights Templar arrests by French King Philip IV on October 13, 1307. 

In modern day Pop Culture, the Friday the 13th horror movie franchise further cemented the date's scary reputation in current times. 

   In France, Friday 13th may have been associated with misfortune as early as the first half of the 1800's. A character in the 1834 play The Subtleties of Scribbles states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes".


   In England, an early documented reference occurs in H. S. Edwards' biography of the famous Italian composer, Gioachino Rossini, who died on Friday 13th  November 1868: Edwards writes..."Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."


  In America, we have Thomas William Lawson's 1907 novel, wherein a stock broker picks Friday the Thirteenth as the day in which he will set about events that bring Wall Street to its knees. When originally published, the novel was a resounding success. 

               Do you admit to believing in any superstitions!?

                         

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1 comment:

Julie Lence said...

Wow! I had no idea how far back the lore of Friday the 13th went. Nor did I know about the number 12 and it's relations to other things, like the months of the year. All very interesting. Thank you for sharing, Gini.