Many people have fallen under the spell of superstitions; avoiding black cats, crossing under ladders, and even throwing salt over one’s shoulder are among the many superstitions that are believed and followed by many.
One of the most common ones would be known as Friday the 13th. That’s right, it’s more than just a horror movie based on a metal-handed murderer; it is also known as a day of misfortune, which occurs when the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday. This can happen up to three times a year.
Although it is not completely proven where this superstition derives from, there are some myths and theories that help give us a better idea of its origin.
There is one myth in particular that still lives on today: it is said that if 13 people dine together, then one will die within a year. This myth can be traced back to the Last Supper; starting in the 19th century, many people believed that Judas Iscariot was the 13th (and uninvited) guest. As Jesus and his Apostles dined together, the party was ruined by this thirteenth member. He has come to represent bad luck and betrayal in western society.
Another possible link to the superstition’s fame is the Thirteen Club, which had initially intended to invalidate the myth of the unlucky date. They first met on September 13, 1881, a wednesday, and they agreed to meet on the 13th of every month. At meetings, they would sit at tables of 13, break mirrors, spill salt, walk under ladders, and go against any other superstition they could think of. While doing so, they would record how many members died. Through the years, the group grew to the size of 400–including several U.S. presidents–but, ironically, the notoriety of the group only made the myth of Friday the 13th more popular.
The date can also be linked to the stock market crash in 1907 where the New York stock exchange fell nearly 50% from its peak in the previous year. Thomas Lawson, an unorthodox stockbroker, published a book titled Friday the Thirteenth, explaining how an evil business attempted to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the year. His book was insanely popular and in 1916 was adapted into a movie. Ironically, a ship named after Lawson got caught in a storm and wrecked on the night of Friday the 13th in 1907. Coincidence? I think not.
Now that Friday the 13th has gained much more notoriety, compared to the early 1900s, people’s fears often result in an actual economic dip, making the date’s bad reputation self-fulfilling for the stock market. Donald Dossey (from the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute) came to the conclusion that some people are reluctant to leave their homes on that day, thus negatively affecting business.
Eventually, the ominous day earned acknowledgement from Hollywood in 1980 when the movie Friday the 13th was released by Paramount Pictures. This date would never be the same again after viewers saw the wake of horror left behind by the destructive Jason Voorhees.
Friday is also known as an unlucky day because, according to the Christian Scripture and tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. While there is evidence to prove that both Friday and the number 13 are considered unlucky on their own, there is no account of the two being considered unlucky together prior to the 19th century.
Another popular myth surrounding the reputation earned by this date occurred on Friday the 13th in the October of 1307, when hundreds of Knights Templar (a knight of religious military order cerca 1118 to defend pilgrims; this organization was founded in Jerusalem, Israel) were arrested and burnt across France.
The number 13 has been considered cursed throughout the country. The number 12 is known as the number of wholeness, being that there are 12 months in a year, 12 hours on a clock, and 12 Apostles of Jesus. On the other hand, the number 13 is known as unlucky and the odd one out. The fear of the number 13 is referred to as triskaidekaphobia (try saying that five times fast).
Despite the many theories, there is no actual proof as to how and/or why Friday the 13 is known for being so unlucky. For all we know, the day might have no more significance than any other day, except for the value believers have given it. It could possibly be nothing more than a constructed belief.

Some superstitions surrounding this day are:
If you cut your hair on Friday the 13, someone in your family will die.
If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13, you are next to die.
If you break a mirror on Friday the 13, you will receive seven years of bad luck.
Walking under a ladder or seeing a black cat will also bring bad luck your way.

Though there is still no real explanation, people still take it upon themselves to believe. The fear of black cats and walking under ladders may seem ridiculous to some, but others are die-hard believers in the bad luck accompanied by Friday the 13th. It seems that we, as humans, let things affect us more than necessary, by redirecting our lives based on our beliefs. However some cultures find no meaning associated with the number 13, such as Greek and Hispanic cultures; instead they find Friday the 17th to be far more daunting.
Keep on your lucky pair of socks or a lucky T-shirt, kids! And if you see black cats, run in the other direction. All in all, make sure to keep yourself away from any misfortune that may occur on our beloved – and feared – Friday the 13.