Hey Texas, What Makes Friday the 13th Unlucky? The Origins of the Superstition
If you are a superstitious person, then you will be happy to know that this year only has two Friday the 13ths and the next one doesn't happen until October. But why is this superstition the most enduring of all superstitions?
Taylor Swift has made it well known that the number 13 is her lucky number, so no worries that Taylor is upset about Friday the 13th, in fact, she probably celebrates it.
But for those with paraskevidekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th, or triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13, this is a very serious day and date and it instills fear in them.
So how did this phenomenon become such a staple in our lives?
According to CNN, Friday the 13th, along with other superstitions, have evolved over time and it is difficult to pinpoint one precise origin of any of them.
But Friday and the number 13 have both been regarded as unlucky in many cultures for thousands of years.
Charles Panati, author of the book "Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things," traces it back to Norse mythology, when Loki, known as the god of mischief, crashed a party or banquet in Valhalla bringing the number of gods attending to 13. Loki then deceives the blind god Hodr and tricks him into shooting his brother Balder, the god of light, joy, and goodness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow and killing him.
Biblical tradition says Fridays are unlucky since that was the day Christ was crucified, it is also said to be the day Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, the day that Cain murdered Abel, the day that the Temple of Solomon was toppled, and the day Noah's ark set sail during the great flood, just to name a few.
So whatever you believe, or don't believe, there are just some of the things that have led to Friday the 13th being an unlucky day, for some.