Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky?

Many people consider Friday the 13th unlucky, but the precise reason for this belief is not entirely clear. It is believed that some of the reasons are rooted in superstitions and religious beliefs that have been passed down from one generation to another.

When discussing the cause of the fear of Friday the 13th, one factor to consider is the inherent Christian undertones and symbolism associated with this day. Many countries that consider Friday the 13th unlucky have a large population of Christians.

The fear of Friday the 13th, also known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, is an extension of another specific fear: triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13.

Possible Origin of the Friday the 13th Superstitions

Most Christians believe that Friday the 13th is a very unlucky day. One of the reasons they believed this is because they connect the number 13 with the number of people who are in attendance at the last Supper and which the 13th attendant (which was Judas) betrayed Jesus of Nazareth, after which Jesus was arrested, beaten, and crucified. Coincidently, the day he was crucified and died was a Friday. This has caused many Christians to have strong feelings against the number 13 and Fridays that falls under the 13th day of the month.

But this does not mean that the symbolism of the number 13 being unlucky is exclusive only to Christians as some believe it came from Norse mythology. According to Charles Panati’s book “Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things,” the idea the “13” is bad luck dates to Norse mythology, when Loki, the god of mischief, crashed a banquet in Valhalla and made the number of gods in the party 13. The god of light, joy, and kindness Balder was instantaneously killed when Loki tricked his blind brother Hodr to throw a branch of mistletoe at Balder.

Other Numbers Considered as Bad Luck

In addition to the number 13, there are several other numbers that are considered unlucky in different cultures and traditions. Some examples include:

Number 4

The number 4 is considered unlucky in Chinese culture and other Eastern Asian countries because it sounds similar to the word for “death.”. To add to this Japan and Korea also have these same superstitions due to how the pronounce number 4 (四 Shi) and the word death (死 Shi).

Number 17

The number 17 is considered unlucky in Italy and other parts of Europe but ironically the number 13 is considered a lucky number in Italy.

Number 666

The number 666 is considered unlucky in Western culture, especially in Christain countries, because it is associated with the devil or the antichrist. This was first seen in the Book of Revelations which said that the number 666 is the number of the beast and is associated with the coming of the antichrist.

References:

• John Roach, Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More, National Geographic News
• Sean Hutchinson, Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky?, Mental Floss
• Friday the 13th & Superstitions Around the World, worldstrides.com
• Why is Friday the 13th unlucky? The cultural origins of an enduring superstition, CNN website

ALSO READ: Why is “Xmas” used to Abbreviate Christmas?