Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. For example, 2015 had a Friday the 13th in February, March, and November, which will happen again in 2026. Leap years that begin on Sunday (i.e. that follow Dominical Letter AG) such as 2012 and 2040, also have three Friday the 13ths in January, April, and July. 2017 through 2020 had two Friday the 13ths, as did 2023; 2016, 2021, and 2022 had just one Friday the 13th, as will 2025, 2027, and 2028; 2024 will have two Friday the 13ths. [1]
For a month to have a Friday the 13th, the 1st must be a Sunday.
One source mentioned for the unlucky reputation of the number 13 is a Norse myth about twelve gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. The trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the thirteenth guest, and arranged for Höðr, the god of darkness, to shoot Balder, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died, triggering much suffering in the world, which caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky. [2] [3]
The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of Jesus's Last Supper and crucifixion in which there were thirteen individuals present in the Upper Room on the thirteenth of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday. [a] [b] [6]
While there is evidence of both Friday [7] and the number 13 [8] being considered unlucky, there is no record of the two items being referred to as especially unlucky in conjunction before the 19th century. [9] [10]
The Knights Templar
Some cite the arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307, by officers of King Philip IV of France as the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition, but it is agreed the origins remain murky. [11]
In France, Friday 13th might have been associated with misfortune as early as the first half of the 19th century. A character in the 1834 play Les Finesses des Gribouilles states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes". [12]
An early documented reference in English occurs in H. S. Edwards' biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on Friday 13th of November 1868:
It is possible that the publication in 1907 of T. W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, [14] contributed to popularizing the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th. [9]
Similar dates are prevalent in many cultures, although it is unclear whether these similarities are in any way historically connected or only coincidental.
In Hispanic countries, instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck. [15]
The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day. [16] Tuesday is considered dominated by the influence of Ares, the god of war (or Mars, the Roman equivalent). The fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade occurred on Tuesday 13 April 1204, and the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans happened on Tuesday 29 May 1453, events that strengthen the superstition about Tuesday. In addition, in Greek the name of the day is Triti (Τρίτη) meaning the third (day of the week), adding weight to the superstition, since bad luck is said to "come in threes". [16]
There is a Tuesday the 13th in months that begin on a Thursday.
In Italian popular culture, Friday the 17th (and not the 13th) is considered a bad luck day. [17] The origin of this belief could be traced in the writing of the number 17, in Roman numerals: XVII. By shuffling the digits of the number one can get the Latin vīxī ("I have lived", implying death at present), an omen of bad luck. [18] In fact, in Italy, 13 is generally considered a lucky number, [19] although some people may consider 13 an unlucky number as well due to Americanization.
The 2000 parody film Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth was released in Italy with the title Shriek – Hai impegni per venerdì 17? ("Shriek – Do You Have Something to Do on Friday the 17th?").[ citation needed ]
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17–21 million people in the United States are affected by Paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th), making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. It has been estimated that US$ 800–900 million is lost in business on this day. [20] Despite this, representatives for both Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines (the latter now merged into United Airlines) have stated that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays. [21]
In Finland, a consortium of governmental and nongovernmental organizations led by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health promotes the National Accident Day (kansallinen tapaturmapäivä) to raise awareness about automotive safety, which always falls on a Friday the 13th. [22] The event is coordinated by the Finnish Red Cross and has been held since 1995. [23]
A study by Scanlon, Luben, Scanlon, & Singleton (1993) [24] attracted attention from popular science literature, [c] [d] as it concluded that "the risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent on the 13th"; [24] : 1584 however, the authors clearly state that "the numbers of admissions from accidents are too small to allow meaningful analysis". [24] : 1586 Subsequent studies have disproved any correlation between Friday the 13th and the rate of accidents. [27] [28]
On 12 June 2008 the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated to the contrary, that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500." [29] [30]
In recent years, Friday the 13th has emerged as a holiday for tattoo parlors and enthusiasts; with many shops running for 24 hours, and offering flash tattoos featuring the number 13 in the design. [31] Some claim that having a number 13 tattoo can be an antidote to bad luck. According to Oliver Peck: "Bad luck would come your way, it would see the number 13, see that bad luck is already there, and it would pass on by.” [32]
Each 400 year Gregorian solar cycle contains 146,097 days (with 97 leap days) or exactly 20,871 weeks. Each cycle contains the same pattern of days of the week and therefore the same pattern of Fridays that are on the 13th. The 13th day of the month is very slightly more likely to be a Friday than any other day of the week. [33] [34] [35]
Day of the week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Occurrences | 685 | 685 | 687 | 684 | 688 | 684 | 687 |
Any month that starts on a Sunday contains a Friday the 13th, and there is at least one Friday the 13th in every calendar year. The months with a Friday the 13th are determined by the Dominical letter (G, F, GF, etc.) of the year. Years which begin on the same day of the week and are of the same type (i.e. common year or leap year), will have a Friday the 13th in the same months.
This sequence, given here for 1900–2099, follows a 28-year cycle from 1 March 1900 to 28 February 2100:
Years during which a Friday the 13th occurs in the month to the right (current and subsequent year are marked in bold) | Month with its 13th on a Friday | Year length and weekday of January the 1st | Year's dominical letter |
---|---|---|---|
20th-century: 1905, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1933, 1939, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1967, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1995; 21st-century: 2006, 2012, 2017, 2023, 2034, 2040, 2045, 2051, 2062, 2068, 2073, 2079, 2090, 2096 | January | 365: Sunday 366: Sunday | A AG |
20th-century: 1903, 1914, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1942, 1948, 1953, 1959, 1970, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1998; 21st-century: 2004, 2009, 2015, 2026, 2032, 2037, 2043, 2054, 2060, 2065, 2071, 2082, 2088, 2093, 2099 | February | 365: Thursday 366: Thursday | D DC |
20th-century: 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992; 1998; 21st-century: 2009, 2015, 2020, 2026, 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 | March | 365: Thursday 366: Wednesday | D ED |
20th-century: 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984; 1990; 21st-century: 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 | April | 365: Monday 366: Sunday | G AG |
20th-century: 1904, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1932, 1938, 1949, 1955, 1960, 1966, 1977, 1983, 1988, 1994; 21st-century: 2005, 2011, 2016, 2022, 2033, 2039, 2044, 2050, 2061, 2067, 2072, 2078, 2089, 2095 | May | 365: Saturday 366: Friday | B CB |
20th-century: 1902, 1913, 1919, 1924, 1930, 1941, 1947, 1952, 1958, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1997; 21st-century: 2003, 2008, 2014, 2025, 2031, 2036, 2042, 2053, 2059, 2064, 2070, 2081, 2087, 2092, 2098 | June | 365: Wednesday 366: Tuesday | E FE |
20th-century: 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984, 1990; 21st-century: 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 | July | 365: Monday 366: Sunday | G AG |
20th-century: 1909, 1915, 1920, 1926, 1937, 1943, 1948, 1954, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1982, 1993, 1999; 21st-century: 2004, 2010, 2021, 2027, 2032, 2038, 2049, 2055, 2060, 2066, 2077, 2083, 2088, 2094, 2100 | August | 365: Friday 366: Thursday | C DC |
20th-century: 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996; 21st-century: 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 | September | 365: Tuesday 366: Monday | F GF |
20th-century: 1905, 1911, 1916, 1922, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1950, 1961, 1967, 1972, 1978, 1989, 1995, 2000; 21st-century: 2006, 2017, 2023, 2028, 2034, 2045, 2051, 2056, 2062, 2073, 2079, 2084, 2090 | October | 365: Sunday 366: Saturday | A BA |
20th-century: 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998; 21st-century: 2009, 2015, 2020, 2026, 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 | November | 365: Thursday 366: Wednesday | D ED |
20th-century: 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996; 21st-century: 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 | December | 365: Tuesday 366: Monday | F GF |
Although there is always at least one Friday the 13th per calendar year, it can be as long as 14 months between two Friday the 13ths. [36] The longest period that occurs without a Friday the 13th is 14 months, either from July to September the following year being a common year starting on Tuesday (F) (e.g. 2001–02, 2012–13 and 2018–19), or from August to October the following year being a leap year starting on Saturday (BA) (e.g. 1999–2000 and 2027–28). The shortest period that occurs with a Friday the 13th is just one month, from February to March in a common year starting on Thursday (D) (e.g. 2009, 2015 and 2026).
On average, there is a Friday the 13th once every 212.35 days. Friday the 13ths occurs with an average frequency of 1.7218 per year or about 3477 since the year 1 CE.
There can be no more than three Friday the 13ths in a single calendar year; either in February, March, and November in a common year starting on Thursday (such as 2009, 2015, or 2026) (D), or January, April, and July in a leap year starting on Sunday (such as 1984, 2012, or 2040) (AG). [37]
In the 2000s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2009, and two Friday the 13ths in 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2007. In the 2010s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2012 and 2015, and two in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2019. [1] In the 2020s, there were two Friday the 13ths in 2020 and 2023. There will also be three Friday the 13ths in 2026, and two in 2024 and 2029. [1] The remaining years all have at least one Friday the 13th. [1]
For the details see the table below; this table is for the Gregorian calendar and Jan/Feb for leap years:
Year modulo 28 | 1600 2000 | 1700 2100 | 1800 2200 | 1900 2300 | Year modulo 28 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
00 06 17 23 | Jan Oct | Feb Aug | Jun | Jan Apr Jul | 00 06 17 23 |
01 07 12 18 | Jan Apr Jul | May | Feb Mar Nov | Sep Dec | 01 07 12 18 |
02 13 19 24 | Sep Dec | Jan Oct | Feb Aug | Jun | 02 13 19 24 |
03 08 14 25 | Jun | Jan Apr Jul | May | Feb Mar Nov | 03 08 14 25 |
09 15 20 26 | Feb Mar Nov | Sep Dec | Jan Oct | Feb Aug | 09 15 20 26 |
04 10 21 27 | Feb Aug | Jun | Jan Apr Jul | May | 04 10 21 27 |
05 11 16 22 | May | Feb Mar Nov | Sep Dec | Jan Oct | 05 11 16 22 |
A leap year is a calendar year that contains an additional day compared to a common year. The 366th day is added to keep the calendar year synchronised with the astronomical year or seasonal year. Since astronomical events and seasons do not repeat in a whole number of days, calendars having a constant number of days each year will unavoidably drift over time with respect to the event that the year is supposed to track, such as seasons. By inserting ("intercalating") an additional day—a leap day—or month—a leap month—into some years, the drift between a civilization's dating system and the physical properties of the Solar System can be corrected.
Triskaidekaphobia is fear or avoidance of the number 13. It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.
13 (thirteen) is the natural number following 12 and preceding 14.
Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO 8601-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth day of the week.
A common year starting on Sunday is any non-leap year that begins on Sunday, 1 January, and ends on Sunday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is A. The most recent year of such kind was 2023 and the next one will be 2034 in the Gregorian calendar, or, likewise, 2018 and 2029 in the obsolete Julian calendar, see below for more.
A common year starting on Friday is any non-leap year that begins on Friday, 1 January, and ends on Friday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is C. The most recent year of such kind was 2021 and the next one will be 2027 in the Gregorian calendar, or, likewise, 2022 and 2033 in the obsolete Julian calendar, see below for more. This common year is one of the three possible common years in which a century year can end on, and occurs in century years that yield a remainder of 100 when divided by 400. The most recent such year was 1700 and the next one will be 2100.
A leap year starting on Sunday is any year with 366 days that begins on Sunday, 1 January, and ends on Monday, 31 December. Its dominical letters hence are AG. The most recent year of such kind was 2012 and the next one will be 2040 in the Gregorian calendar or, likewise 2024 and 2052 in the obsolete Julian calendar.
A common year starting on Tuesday is any non-leap year that begins on Tuesday, 1 January, and ends on Tuesday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is F. The most recent year of such kind was 2019 and the next one will be 2030, or, likewise, 2014 and 2025 in the obsolete Julian calendar, see below for more.
A leap year starting on Monday is any year with 366 days that begins on Monday, 1 January, and ends on Tuesday, 31 December. Its dominical letters hence are GF. The current year, 2024, is a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar. The last such year was 1996 and the next such year will be 2052 in the Gregorian calendar or, likewise, 2008 and 2036 in the obsolete Julian calendar.
A common year starting on Thursday is any non-leap year that begins on Thursday, 1 January, and ends on Thursday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is D. The most recent year of such kind was 2015 and the next one will be 2026 in the Gregorian calendar or, likewise, 2021 and 2027 in the obsolete Julian calendar, see below for more.
A leap year starting on Saturday is any year with 366 days that begins on Saturday, 1 January, and ends on Sunday, 31 December. Its dominical letters hence are BA. The most recent year of such kind was 2000 and the next one will be 2028 in the Gregorian calendar or, likewise 2012 and 2040 in the obsolescent Julian calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, years divisible by 400 are always leap years starting on Saturday. The most recent such occurrence was 2000 and the next one will be 2400, see below for more.
A leap year starting on Thursday is any year with 366 days that begins on Thursday 1 January, and ends on Friday 31 December. Its dominical letters hence are DC. The most recent year of such kind was 2004 and the next one will be 2032 in the Gregorian calendar or, likewise, 2016 and 2044 in the obsolete Julian calendar.
"Monday's Child" is one of many fortune-telling songs, popular as nursery rhymes for children. It is supposed to tell a child's character or future from their day of birth and to help young children remember the seven days of the week. As with many such rhymes, there are several variants. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19526.
Japanese superstitions are rooted in the culture and history of Japan and the Japanese people. Some Japanese superstitions are meant to teach lessons or serve as practical advice.
Superstition in Russia covers the superstitions and folk rituals of the Russian community. Many of these traditions are staples of everyday life, and some are even considered common social etiquette despite being rooted in superstition. The influence of these traditions and superstitions varies, and their perceived importance depends on factors such as region and age.
Friday the 13th is an unlucky day in western superstition.
Sailors' superstitions are superstitions particular to sailors or mariners, and which traditionally have been common around the world. Some of these beliefs are popular superstitions, while others are better described as traditions, stories, folklore, tropes, myths, or legends.
Heptadecaphobia or heptadekaphobia is the fear of the number 17. It is considered to be ill-fated in Italy and other countries of Greek and Latin origins, while the date Friday the 17th is considered especially unfortunate in Italy. The number is feared due to superstition, and is similar in nature to the fear of the number 13 in Anglo-Saxon countries.
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ignored (help)When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia?
When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia?
PS: For those suffering from friggatriskaidekaphobia, hey, tomorrow is Saturday.
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) — examines All Ordinaries Index ("All Ords") for 1 Jan 1985 – 12 Jan 1985