Among Western superstitions, a few are as entrenched as the belief that Friday the 13th is a day of bad luck. This superstition even has its term: paraskevidekatriaphobia, a specific type of triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. The Gregorian calendar slightly increases the likelihood of the 13th falling on a Friday, but the fear of this date is not universal. In Greece and many Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th is deemed unlucky.
This notion, akin to the fear of a black cat crossing one’s path or breaking a mirror, is pervasive despite its unclear origins.
It is challenging to determine the exact roots of Friday the 13th, just like many other superstitions that have developed over time and between countries. However, throughout history, some societies have considered the numbers 13 and Friday to be unlucky. In his book “Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things,” Charles Panati traces the origins of the idea of the cursed back to Norse mythology, where the god of mischief, Loki, broke into a banquet in Valhalla and brought the total number of gods present to thirteen. Loki tricked the blind deity Hodr into shooting his brother Balder, the god of light, gladness, and goodness, with an arrow tipped with mistletoe, instantly killing him.
Biblical accounts further associate Fridays with misfortune, linking them to events such as Adam and Eve’s sin, Cain’s murder of Abel, and the Great Flood. The fear was further popularised by the 1980s slasher film “Friday the 13th” and Dan Brown’s 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code, which mistakenly attributed the superstition to the Knights Templar’s arrests in 1307.
Despite these associations, both Fridays and the number 13 were once seen as symbols of good fortune. In pagan traditions, Friday was linked to the goddess Frigg, associated with love and fertility. The number 13, tied to lunar and menstrual cycles, was considered a positive symbol of fertility and divine femininity.
Today, while Friday the 13th continues to be regarded with suspicion, the narrative surrounding it may be shifting. Modern figures like Taylor Swift, who embraces the number 13 as lucky, challenge traditional perceptions and may influence a reevaluation of this longstanding superstition.
The American singer-songwriter considers 13 her lucky number, and in the early days of her career, she used to perform with the number written on her hand.
