Friday The 13th: A Cursed Date, Or A Blessing For Horror Fans?

Once a year, and sometimes even more, it happens. The calendar shows that in a specific month, we will mark Friday as a special date, which becomes a holiday for horror fans. Friday the 13th is a myth that affects many worldwide: in our context, it is a great date to watch horror movies or even have a marathon, while cinemas, streaming services, and TV channels certainly align with it sometimes. From the perspective of other people who aren’t horror fans (who are you, insane people?), this date is a recipe for trouble and can cause behavioral changes due to the fear of bad luck.

In this article, we will mark Friday the 13th in thee horror calendar, examine the origins of the associated superstition, review historical events on this date, and discuss how the date has influenced pop culture and cinema. In addition, we will examine the impact of these beliefs on people’s behavior on the “holy” day for horror fans.

Why Is Friday The 13th Unlucky?

If we look at the numbers, we find that Friday the 13th can occur anywhere from once every three years. The exact averages are once every seven months, like other combinations of days. Some say this day should occur on average once every 212 days, but I have not tried to calculate this myself.

Friday the 13th has a long history of superstitions and mysterious incidents, which have contributed to its unique status in the public consciousness, alongside cultural texts (especially the “Friday the 13th” film series, one of the highest-grossing and iconic in the history of horror cinema) that have helped to “brand” as a scary, some would even say cursed, day in the Gregorian calendar.

But where and why exactly did it start? The belief that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day is an interesting cultural phenomenon, the origins of which are not entirely clear, but it is known to have begun around the 19th century. Still, several theories try to explain the origin of this belief, some of them legitimate and others a little strange. According to Christian culture, the accepted view is that Friday the 13th is a day of bad luck because it combines two related superstitions in this connection, meaning that Friday is a bad day, and 13 is an unfortunate number.

The number 13 is considered a number that symbolizes terrible luck in several cultures. According to Christian tradition, the number is most closely associated with the Last Supper of Jesus, attended by 13 diners. One of them is Judas Iscariot, the 13th and the last man to arrive. As is known, he allegedly betrayed Jesus for money, so the number is associated with harmful acts such as betrayal and death. And speaking of Jesus, some believe that his crucifixion took place on Friday the 13th.

The number 13, unfortunately, is not without its negative associations. In some popular versions of the Tarot deck, for example, the number 13 is identified with the card that symbolizes death (although not necessarily in the physical sense, but can also be symbolic, rebirth, etc., etc.) – which perhaps explains why it was necessary to make a horror film about Tarot cards.

Another example is the belief, the origin of which is not necessarily straightforward, that if 13 people sit together at a table, one of them will die within a year. For such reasons, many buildings worldwide skip the 13th floor and go directly from the 12th to the 14th, and hotels and other institutions do not have room number 13.

The picture is similar when it comes to Fridays. In various cultures, they are considered days associated with bad luck, which has been the case since the Middle Ages. Here, too, we can point to several reasons, some of them cultural: In the classic work “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer, the 14th-century British author and poet, it is written “and on a Friday fell all this mischance.” In Britain, for example, Fridays were “Hangman’s Days,” when criminals and other unfortunate people were executed. The crucifixion of Jesus also took place on Friday, two days before Easter, which means that there is a certain complexity here. “Good Friday” is one of the most important holidays in the Christian calendar, and according to Catholic tradition, Fridays are considered days of penance.

What Happens On Friday The 13th In Real Life?

Although there is no scientific proof that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, at least not more than other shitty days, throughout history, several tragic or significant events have occurred on this date. One of the earliest dates back to the 14th century, or more precisely, Friday, October 13, 1307. On this day, King Philip IV of France raided the strongholds of the Templars (the Order of the Knights of the Temple of Solomon). He arrested about 100 knights and high-ranking members of the order. On his orders, they were severely tortured until they had to confess – sometimes without their fault – to “crimes” such as promiscuous sexuality, homosexuality, or devil worship.

Other serious events that have occurred on Friday the 13th include:

Tropical Cyclone Bola, which had begun in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) about ten days earlier, hit the Ganges Delta region on Friday, November 13, 1970. The result is about half a million deaths, the most significant number of deaths in a cyclone in the 20th century

A series of terrorist and suicide attacks occurred in several locations in Paris, the capital of France, beginning on the evening of Friday, November 13, 2015. The attacks claimed 130 victims and hundreds of injuries

In January 2012, an Italian cruise ship named “Costa Concordia” sank off the coast of the Land of the Boot on Friday the 13th after running aground. The ship itself did not sink entirely but tilted on its side, which allowed the vast majority of the more than 4,000 people on board to be rescued. Still, the capsizing caused 32 deaths

Rapper Tupac Shakur was murdered on Friday, September 13, in 1996

Not only death is associated with Friday the 13th, but also the births of devastating historical figures. Nathan Bedford Forrest, the American lieutenant who was the first leader of the terrible racist terrorist organization Ku Klux Klan (KKK), was born on this date in 1821

It is important to note that these events do not prove the “curse” of Friday the 13th. Unfortunately, tragic events occur every day of the year, and there is no statistical proof that this date is more prone to disaster than others. Nevertheless, such disasters help to understand how the date received its special status in the public consciousness.

We found a short video for you from the History Channel that explains some of the long and unpleasant histories of Friday the 13th around the world:

Friday The 13th Can Also Symbolize Good Luck

It is important to note that not all cultures across the globe consider Friday the 13th to be a day of bad luck. The clearest example is Judaism, where – believe it or not – the date is a sign of good luck. To understand why, we all need to combine the two-term variables. According to Judaism, god finished the world’s creation on Friday by creating humans and animals on dry land. Friday is traditionally the preparation for the festive meal and the Sabbath rest, which is always blessed. In addition, traditional Jews believe a person who passes away on Friday is righteous. The number 13 is also associated with good luck in Judaism: it is identified with the qualities of mercy in man, and not just because the age of Bar Mitzvah for boys is 13.

Judaism largely opposes harmful superstitions, explaining the Western concept’s resistance. There are unique traditions to celebrate the holiday optimistically, perform good deeds, seize the opportunity for spiritual correction or ascension, and so on.

In other cultures, other days may have a connection with bad luck. In some East Asian cultures, for example, the number 4 is problematic because it is phonetically similar to the word for “Death.” In Spain, some South American countries, and other countries around the globe, Tuesdays that fall on the 13th of the month receive a negative meaning. In Italy, where the number 13 is associated with luck, it is Friday the 17th that we should be aware of.

There is no shortage of other examples, mainly showing the cultural differences between different traditions and how the exact date can carry contrasting meanings in various cultures. This is a gripping reminder that cultural meanings may depend on context and tradition, not universal.

Fear Of Friday The 13th: There Is Such A Thing

Although there is no scientific evidence that Friday the 13th is genuinely unlucky, this belief is deeply rooted in Western culture. Some people are terrified of this day.

If you wanna know what is the fear of Friday the 13th called, prepare to break your teeth: “Paraskevidekatriaphobia.” This is probably a more specific case of “Triskaidekaphobia” – fear of the number 13.

Describing the fear of Friday the 13th is not unscientific, in a way reminiscent of the fear of long words we referred to on the site not long ago. Still, we believe a therapist named Donald Dossey Obituary was the first to use it and even claimed that those who manage to pronounce it are cured of the fear. The complicated name combines several ancient Greek words associated with this fear, such as “Paraskevi” (Friday), “Dekatreís” (the number 13), and more.

With or without fear, many people around the world regard Friday the 13th as a day you should avoid anything dangerous or destructive. Singers refuse to perform; couples cancel weddings; business people refuse to sign contracts until Saturday night (or at least the beginning of the week), and so on. Data shows that economic activity on this day decreases, partly because people avoid large purchases, transactions, or significant investments. Not every Friday is Black Friday.

Friday The 13: A Holiday For Horror Fans

Among horror fans, the situation is different. Of course, the “Friday the 13th” film series, which centers on serial killer Jason Voorhees, is one of the most significant in developing the myth – even though the date’s connection to the films is unclear. Over time, it has also become just symbolic.

To understand precisely when the events in the films happened, you have to place them on a timeline and attach various clues that appear throughout them, which fortunately has already been done before us. After the first film’s opening credits, for example, the caption “Friday the 13th: Present Day” appears. We can conclude that the caption refers to the year the film was released (1980), when the 13th of the month was indeed a Friday.

For the average horror viewer, Friday the 13th can be a reason to party. In a way that may defy the fear about this day, it is a great date to see at least one horror movie (which can also be from the “Friday the 13th” film series, but not necessarily). Television channels sometimes save the premiere screenings of intriguing horror movies for Friday the 13th or do movie marathons into the wee hours of the night. VOD and streaming interfaces, another example, may open a separate category of movies for Friday the 13th. However, this writer’s experience shows that this new category can be the previous horror category with a slight change in name, with a maximum of one or two new movies.

On Friday the 13th, you can also leave the house. Many horror fans organize special parties and events on Friday the 13th, including tours of “haunted houses” or other scary attractions, horror-themed role-playing games, horror-based board games, scary foods, etc. Movie theaters can hold horror movie marathons or special screenings.

In conclusion, Friday the 13th is much more than just a date on the calendar. It is a fascinating meeting of history, folklore, psychology, and popular culture. Whether you believe in the superstitions associated with it or not, there’s no doubt that Friday the 13th continues to fascinate and interest people around the world, and most importantly, it’s one of the most important dates on the horror fan calendar. So it’s a great time to check when is the next Friday the 13 on our calendars.

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