Today is Friday the 13th!
For many people, Friday the 13th is unlucky, even though this belief is not scientific and rational, but is only superstition. How did this superstition begin?
One theory is that the number 12 is a symbol of completeness: 12 months in a year, 24 (12 x 2) hours in a day, 12 signs in the zodiac, and so on. Therefore 13 is off-balance, not being the more complete 12. It seems silly to blame 13 for not being 12, I think.
In spite of there being no reason to fear the number 13, there is an official word for fear of it, and for fear of Friday the 13th, even though no one can say with certainty where and when the idea of Friday the 13th being unlucky began:
"The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: "triskaidekaphobia"; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen")." (from Wikipedia)
"Fear of Friday the 13th has so many spooked, there’s now a word for it – friggatriskaidekaphobia. Etymologically speaking, Frigg is the Norse goddess whom Friday was named after. (from http://www.wcvb.com/article/whats-the-deal-with-friday-the-13th/8594608)
One theory is that the number 12 is a symbol of completeness: 12 months in a year, 24 (12 x 2) hours in a day, 12 signs in the zodiac, and so on. Therefore 13 is off-balance, not being the more complete 12. It seems silly to blame 13 for not being 12, I think.
In spite of there being no reason to fear the number 13, there is an official word for fear of it, and for fear of Friday the 13th, even though no one can say with certainty where and when the idea of Friday the 13th being unlucky began:
"The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: "triskaidekaphobia"; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen")." (from Wikipedia)
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| The goddess Frigg |
On the other hand, Friday itself is not considered unlucky. For Jews and Muslims, it's the sacred day of worship. In many Western cultures, the saying "TGIF" welcomes Friday every week--"Thank goodness, it's Friday!" The idea is that the workweek is over, and now people can devote time to family, friends, and hobbies.
So the question is, "why is Friday the 13th unlucky?" The only logical answer is that it's not unlucky at all!
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