Friday the 13th

A fear of Friday the 13th?
The origin of the Friday the 13th superstition has been linked to many differing beliefs, below is a list of the most common beliefs:

The fact that a lunisolar calendar must have 13 months in some years, while the solar Gregorian calendar and lunar Islamic calendar always have 12 months in a year.

Another suggestion is that the belief originated in a Norse myth about twelve gods having a feast in Valhalla. The mischievous god, Loki, gate-crashed the party as an uninvited 13th guest and arranged for Hod, the blind god of darkness, to throw a branch of mistletoe at Balder, the god of joy and gladness. Balder was killed instantly and the Earth was plunged into darkness and mourning as a result.

Some believe the basis for this superstition stems from the events that took place on Friday, October 13, 1307. On that day, the Pope of the Roman Catholic church, in combination with the King of France, sentenced "the Knights Templar", a monastic military group, to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion of their leader.

Also, Hindus believed that it was unlucky for 13 people to gather in one place. This conviction was shared by the ancient Scandinavians.

Many biblical events of negative import occurred on a Friday, including the ejection of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the start of the Great Flood, there were 13 people at The Last Supper of Jesus, who was crucified on Friday.

Western culture has considered Friday the 13th particularly unlucky for hundreds of years. The sixth day of the week has often been considered unlucky, as has the number 13. The combination, which occurs one to three times a year, leads to the inevitable superstition.

Happy Friday the 13th!