The Mysterious Origins of Friday the 13th: Unveiling the Truth behind this Infamous Superstition

Friday the 13th is a widely recognized superstition in Western culture, associated with bad luck. This belief, similar to encountering a black cat or shattering a mirror, is deeply ingrained in our society, even though its exact origins remain unclear. Interestingly, there is a specific term for the irrational fear of this date, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is a subtype of triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13.

Although Friday the 13th may seem infrequent, according to our Gregorian calendar, the likelihood of the 13th day of any month falling on a Friday is slightly higher compared to other days of the week. It is important to note that this superstition is not universally observed: in Greece and Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th is considered an unlucky day, while in Italy, fear is associated with Friday the 17th.

This month, however, there is only one occurrence to be marked on the calendar: Friday, October 13th.

The makings of a superstition

The presence of 13 in The Last Supper appeared to carry a curse. The arrival of Judas Iscariot, the thirteenth and notorious guest, stands out as he was the disciple responsible for betraying Jesus, ultimately leading to his crucifixion.

The origins of Friday 13th are difficult to determine, as it is a superstition that has evolved across cultures and time. However, it is known that both Friday and the number 13 have been considered unlucky in various cultures. According to Charles Panati's book "Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things," the idea of the curse can be traced back to Norse mythology. In this myth, Loki, the mischievous god, disrupted a banquet in Valhalla, resulting in there being 13 gods in attendance. Loki deceived the blind god Hodr into fatally shooting his brother Balder with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. This event has contributed to the negative connotations surrounding Friday 13th.

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From Scandinavia, Panati explains, the superstition then spread south throughout Europe, becoming well established along the Mediterranean by the start of the Christian era. It was in this region that the power of the numerals became even more unsettling, as depicted in the iconic story of the Last Supper, where Jesus Christ and his disciples gathered on Maundy Thursday. Judas Iscariot, the 13th and most infamous guest to arrive, betrayed Jesus, ultimately leading to his crucifixion on Good Friday.

On October 13, 1307, a significant number of Knights Templar were apprehended and a large portion of them faced execution. The origination of the Friday the 13th superstition was inaccurately promoted by Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code."

Friday, in Biblical tradition, has been associated with unlucky events throughout history. It is believed to be the day when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, when Cain killed his brother Abel, when the Temple of Solomon was destroyed, and when Noah's ark embarked on the Great Flood. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that Friday the 13th gained its reputation for misfortune. Steve Roud, in "The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland," explains that the combination of Friday and the number 13 originated during the Victorian era. In 1907, Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel "Friday, the Thirteenth" captivated readers with its story of a deceitful broker who manipulated the superstitions surrounding this date to intentionally cause a stock market crash.

In the 1980s, superstition went pop with the launch of the "Friday the 13th" slasher franchise, starring hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees.

Alamy

Skipping ahead to the 1980s, the slasher film series "Friday the 13th" introduced a notorious hockey-masked killer named Jason Voorhees. Later, in 2003, Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" contributed to the spread of the incorrect belief that the superstition of Friday the 13th originated from the arrests of numerous Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307.

An alternative history

Although Friday the 13th is often associated with a sense of doom and gloom, there is historical evidence to suggest that both Fridays and the number 13 have actually been considered as symbols of good luck. In ancient pagan cultures, for example, Friday was believed to hold a special connection to the divine feminine. This belief can be traced back to the Old English weekday name for Friday, which translates to "day of Frigg." Frigg, or Frigga, was a prominent figure in Norse mythology and was revered as the Queen of Asgard and a powerful sky goddess. She was often associated with love, marriage, and motherhood.

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In the realm of ancient mythology, two powerful goddesses emerged: Frigg and Freyja. Frigg, a symbol of protection, social order, and the weaver of destiny, possessed the mystical ability of foresight and the ability to bless or withhold fertility. On the other hand, Freyja, often intertwined with Frigg, embodied the forces of love, fertility, and war. As a sorceress, she possessed the gift of divination, determining the outcomes of battles and riding a chariot pulled by two mysterious black cats. These revered figures held widespread worship across Europe, giving credence to the belief that Friday was an auspicious day for joining in matrimony among the Norse and Teutonic peoples.

The Venus of Laussel clutches a crescent-shaped horn bearing 13 notchesa potential reference to lunar and menstrual cycles.

The number 13 has always been considered ominous by ancient cultures that worshiped goddesses and practiced pre-Christian beliefs. This is because it represents the number of lunar and menstrual cycles in a calendar year, which were highly valued in pagan societies. Artists frequently depicted connections between menstruation, fertility, and the phases of the moon in their artwork.

Take the Venus of Laussel, a carving made of limestone approximately 25,000 years ago. This sculpture portrays a curvaceous female figure embracing her pregnant belly with one hand, while grasping a crescent-shaped horn with 13 notches in the other. Many scholars speculate that this figurine possibly represented a goddess associated with fertility, worshipped during rituals or ceremonies. The 13 markings on the horn are commonly interpreted as a representation of the lunar or menstrual cycle, both of which symbolize the inherent power of femininity.

Rewriting a reputation

Christianity's rise in the Middle Ages led to conflict with paganism, as the worship of multiple gods and goddesses clashed with the new patriarchal faith. The observance of Friday, the number 13, and the goddesses associated with love, sex, fertility, magic, and pleasure were considered unholy. This article showcases intimate photos of contemporary witches in America.

The deities were held in such high regard that persuading people to let go of them posed a significant challenge. However, Christian authorities persevered in their efforts and categorized both the deities and the female devotees as witches.

"When the Norse and Germanic tribes embraced Christianity, Frigga was disgraced and exiled to a mountaintop, being labeled as a witch," Panati explains. "It was believed that every Friday, the vengeful goddess gathered with eleven other witches, along with the devil, making a total of thirteen, to conspire against the fortunes of the upcoming week."

Early in her career, Taylor Swift would often perform with the number 13which the singer considers luckywritten on her hand.

The narrative of Friday the 13th and the female deities linked to it may undergo a rewrite, as discussions on the impact of misogyny on silencing influential women throughout history gain traction.

Taylor Swift, who considers 13 her lucky number, has seen signs that the tide may already be turning. Early in her career, she would often perform with the number 13 written on her hand. Swift's connection to the number runs deep, as she was born on the 13th, turned 13 on Friday the 13th, and her first album went gold in 13 weeks. In addition, her first No. 1 song had a 13-second intro. In an interview with MTV in 2009, Swift revealed that whenever she has won an award, she has been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section, or row M, which is the 13th letter. It seems that whenever the number 13 appears in her life, it brings good luck.

With more endorsements like this, fortune, rather than fear, might well become the legacy of Friday the 13th.