The fear of the Number 13 is termed Triskaidekaphobia

We are all afraid of Friday the 13th; it is a date we do not want to see on our calendars. Why is that? The day and date have long been a date associated with superstition, fear, and misfortune in many Western cultures. Here’s a deeper look at what Friday the 13th signifies:

Do you know that the fear of the Number 13 is termed Triskaidekaphobia and the fear of Friday is Friggatriskaidekaphobia or Paraskevidekatriaphobia? So, where does this fear stem from? Usually, superstition is based on some kind of religious or cultural belief. In Christianity, for example, Judas Iscariot was Jesus’s apostle who betrayed him and would be regarded as the 13th guest to have joined the Last Supper, hence associating 13 with betrayal and bad luck.

This superstition has led many buildings and hotels to this day to avoid naming a 13th floor. Even house numbers, seating, or any other situation where numbered items occur often miss out on the number 13.

Fridays have traditionally been associated with bad luck. This could also be because in Christianity, Good Friday is considered to be a very serious and gloomy day when Jesus was crucified, and therefore that places a stigma on Fridays in general. In medieval times, Friday was also referred to as the execution day in many cultures, adding to its gloomy outlook.

The Number 13 is associated with bad luck for several reasons; in the Last Supper. Jesus had 12 disciples, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, is said to be the 13th person to sit at the table.

Second, in Norse mythology, 12 Gods were invited to a banquet in Valhalla. Loki, the God of Mischief and Chaos, crashed the party as the 13th guest. This action led to the death of the beloved God Balder.

The lethal combination – Friday, the 13th

One popular theory maintains that Friday the 13th derived its significance from the arrest of the Knights Templar by King Philip IV of France on Friday, October 13, 1307. Many Templars were tortured and executed, their order ultimately being dis­banded.

Rational Explanations

Although many people continue to consider Friday the 13th as an unlucky day, no evidence in science suggests this date influences the fortune of people. The negative associations of Friday the 13th are largely because of cultural beliefs and social conditionings, wherein some even believe it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

While the fear in the human psyche is paramount, the day and the date, in itself, have no meaning outside of human belief systems, yet the reputation as an unlucky date has survived to the modern day through the conditioning of behaviours and stories alike.