Ah, superstitions. No matter how civilized or educated we get, those nasty myths, fables and old wives’ tales still manage to capture our attention from time to time. Tomorrow is Friday the 13th, one of three this year. It’s typically associated with bad luck. But do you know why?
The Bible Code
One way people try to legitimize superstitions is by tying them to the Bible or early church traditions. Since there were 13 people at Jesus’ last supper, one of whom betrayed him, 13 is considered an unlucky number of dinner guests, especially if your meal ends just before Good Friday.
There is also a tradition that considers Friday to be a bad day in general. Jesus, of course, died on a Friday. But some also believe Eve ate the forbidden fruit on a Friday and Cain killed his brother Abel on a Friday.
The truth is, in the early days of Christianity’s spread across Europe, people converted to the faith but held on to some of their older stories and customs. Then over time, many tried to incorporate old ideas into their new beliefs.
It is Finished
Case in point – the 13th dinner guest theory was originally a Norse myth. When Loki, the god of mischief, showed up in Valhalla, he upset the balance of the other 12 gods enjoying their repast. 12 is often seen as the number of completion – we have 12 days of Christmas, 12 months of the year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 gods of Olympus, and 12 tribes of Israel.
In 1834, the French literary magazine Revue de Paris published an article claiming, “It is always Fridays and the number 13 that bring bad luck!” In this case, author Marquis de Salvo was referring to a Sicilian count who killed his daughter on Friday the 13th.
Some people are anxious just thinking about Friday the 13th. If you suffer from increased heart rate, sweating, rapid breathing or trembling when you think about the date, you might suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. That’s a variation on triskaidekaphobia, which is just fear of the number 13. Apparently, both 13 and Friday are considered unlucky by some.
The makers of the slasher horror film franchise Friday the 13th are hedging their bets. The series stopped after just a dozen movies, including sequels and reboots. Although they may have tipped their hand - a prequel TV series is coming later this year.
Morituri te Salutamus
Not everyone believes in the unluckiness of Friday the 13th however. Captain William Fowler survived the Civil War and later founded the Thirteen Club. The purpose of the exclusive gentlemen’s club was to break superstitious taboos about luck. The 13 members gathered for a 13-course meal on the 13th day of every month, in room 13 of the Knickerbocker Cottage in New York City. On their way to the dinner table, members walked under a ladder with a banner that read “Those of us who are about to die salute you,” in Latin.
The first meal occurred on Friday, January 13, 1882, at 8:13pm. The club met for nearly 20 years and members included five U.S. Presidents: Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Teddy Roosevelt.
Another darker thought is that Friday the 13th “became” unlucky as a way to oppress women. Since they experience 13 menstrual cycles a year in keeping with the lunar cycle, 13 was said to contain feminine energy. Some men saw that as a threat to their power and so declared the time unlucky.
Breaking the “Curse”
The only problem with trying to prevent bad luck on Friday the 13th is that it requires you to buy in to not one, but two, superstitions. You can carry a rabbit’s foot, pocket a four-leaf clover or an acorn, or avoid cracks in the sidewalk.
Or you could try sleeping with your head facing south on un-ironed sheets, flip your clothes inside out and take a walk in the rain, or try to sneeze three times before breakfast. We’re told if your first look at a new moon is over your right shoulder, it’s good luck, but the next new moon isn’t until March 18th.
You could also just cross your fingers and knock on wood. Seriously, we don’t think any of these things will help any more than thinking about money will bring it into your life. But these superstitions persist.
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