Friday the 13th: The story behind the superstitions

Although the featured image in this article illustrates a satirical reinterpretation of the famous villain Jason Voorhees, the main character of the “Friday the 13th” film saga, it has no relationship with the true origin of this urban legend. In fact, the story behind it is much older than you might think.

However, it is impossible to deny its importance within the modern imagination: for many years, the franchise was the most successful at the box office when it came to horror and suspense films. Thanks to the killer in the hockey mask, it is still alive and strong – especially among the small and more esoteric.

The story behind “Friday the 13th”

To understand how everything works, it is important to point out that there are several different points of view that explain (or reinforce) the belief that the date in question would be a kind of “bad omen”.

There is no exact and documented origin of “Friday the 13th”, but some theories about it have guided the popular imagination for millennia.

Literature and cinema

The “Friday the 13th” saga, immortalized in the world of seventh art, was inspired by the book of the same name created by Thomas Lawson in 1907. The killer always looked for his victims on that date.

It turns out that this date was already associated long before Lawson's work was released. The legend may have its origins in Antiquity.

Roman mythology

According to Roman theology, the number 12 was associated with divine perfection. On the other hand, 13 would symbolize the rupture of this perfection. Those sentenced to death were preferably executed on that date. Because of this, it was associated with destruction and suffering.

Therefore, the 13th was frowned upon by the Romans, as it was not a period favorable to good things.

Norse mythology

Odin, considered the All-Father within the Norse pantheon, held a banquet with 12 other deities. It turns out that Loki, the god of discord and trickery, participated in the occasion uninvited; Balder, one of those present, was murdered during the picket organized by Loki.

Thanks to this regrettable event, a day that should have been a symbol of celebration became synonymous with intrigue, confusion and death. The Norse were quite religious and were certainly apprehensive on the eve of this date.

Bible

The Christian universe also sows discord due to Friday the 13th: At Jesus' last supper, there were 13 people – among them, Judas Iscariot, who supposedly handed over the Messiah to the Roman military.

Furthermore, the number 12 is also associated with perfection in Christianity – as well as in the Roman polytheistic pantheon. And the last book of the Bible (Revelation) comments on the end of the world in the book… 13.

The beast, also known as Antichrist, would bring about the destruction of the Earth. Finally, there is a theory defended by some religious people that Cain killed Abel on Friday the 13th.

France (medieval era)

King Felipe IV was targeted by the Church, which threatened his greed for power. He tried to join the Knights Templar, but without success. All of this happened on October 13, 1307 – or Friday the 13th, if you prefer.

Thanks to this event, known for the persecution of the king, the French became wary of the date.

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Some superstitions related to Friday the 13th

It's quite curious to know that this urban legend wasn't born because of Hollywood films, isn't it? Even today, many people believe in certain superstitions, such as:

• Break mirrors on this date;
• Finding a black cat during Friday the 13th;
• Start new projects or start trips on the “cursed date”;
• Placing the number “13” on a restaurant table.

Is the number “13” always associated with bad things?

No! In fact, within some beliefs, the number is associated with something positive, and not potentially dangerous.

According to Chinese numerology, the number 13 is directly associated with fortune, good luck. The same happened among the Celts, who considered it a symbol of “maturity and transformation”.

Fun facts about Friday the 13th

1. Second study made by Otis, a famous elevator manufacturer, for every building with a 13th floor, six others “jump” directly to the 14th.
2. There is a name to define the aversion to the number 13: triskaidekaphobia.
3. The Chinese associate the number “4” with death; Because of this, some of them avoid doing certain activities on that date – especially the riskier ones.
4. Psychologists associate aversion to Friday the 13th with a feeling of “anomaly”. One of the reasons behind this is the breaking of number patterns: for example, there is no 13th month of the year.
5. Studies indicate that 10% of the United States population (around 40 million people) believe in the date as something dangerous, negative.

What is your opinion on “Friday the 13th”?

There are several possible explanations regarding this date and, even today, several people see it as something good or bad. In some cases, they don't even care about it – and they can't be judged for it. After all, there is no scientific proof that Friday the 13th has any objective relationship with positive (or negative) occurrences in the universe.

However, for some people, believing this can be a source of comfort and motivation: there is nothing wrong with that. Provided, obviously, that your belief does not create obstacles in your professional and/or personal life.

Furthermore, there is no consensus on the day of the week: in Greece and several Spanish-speaking countries, fear is not associated with Friday the 13th, but with Tuesday the 13th. In Italy, the date considered as Good luck is Friday the 17th.

Imagine that you have been in a car accident on Friday the 13th: you will certainly receive impressed comments – much more because of the date than the accident. And there will probably be many people who will be, at the very least, curious about the “coincidence”.

And you – do you believe that Friday the 13th represents something special for people’s lives? Or is it just another day on the calendar? Leave your opinion in the comments: fascinating topics often bring equally incredible comments!