Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky?
|
|
It is not certain where it began, but some believe fear of Friday the 13th started in Biblical times. CREDIT: rtimages | dreamstime |
No one knows for sure what's up with our odd fear of Friday the 13th, so ingrained in pop culture that it has a movie series and one mouthful of a phobia — paraskavedekatriaphobia — in its honor.
Folklorists think the dread goes back at least a few centuries, and may well trace its roots all the way to Biblical times, when the 13th guest at the Last Supper betrayed Jesus and caused his Crucifixion, which was held on a Friday. Whatever the origin, by the late Middle Ages both Friday and the number 13 were considered bearers of misfortune. That potent combo, more than any specific association with the date, is what has deemed Friday the 13th unlucky .
Today it's dismissed as an old superstition but — if given a choice — how many of us would eschew getting married, flying or giving birth on a Friday the 13th? Superstition, indeed.
Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries. We're also on Facebook & Google+.
Life's Little Mysteries: Gift Edition Hardcover Book
Uncover the truth behind more than 100 mysteries that surround us every day with our new hardcover book! Perfect for gifts and classrooms, and suitable for all ages. Some of the included mysteries are:
- Why Do Cats Land on Their Feet?
- How Long Does it Take to Make Petrified Wood?
- What Everyday Things Around Us Are Radioactive?
Find out all of this and much, much more in our NEW hardcover book.
It makes a great gift idea for all ages. more info>>
