Every US child knows to be careful of Friday the 13th. Ever since the 19th century, Friday the 13th has been a source of superstition. Though no one is quite sure of its origin, its impact is quite evident. Many people will purposely avoid doing anything significant-such as business meetings, socials, banquets, etc.
Superstitions, including the fear of Friday the 13th, often defy logical explanations. In the United States, this superstition has become ingrained in the culture, even influencing how cautious people are and sometimes impacting businesses. But what's the deal with these irrational fears? It's all about our brains wanting some control in an unpredictable world. These superstitions, handed down through the generations, are like our trusty security blankets. They offer a comforting sense of control amid life's uncertainties.
For some, the fear of Friday the 13th goes beyond superstition and borders on a phobia known as triskaidekaphobia. The word, originating from ancient Greek, translates to "fear of the number 13." While superstitions are usually just fun beliefs, but they can become seriously overwhelming for certain people. But for most of us, Friday the 13th is just a superstition that we can have a good time pretending to be scared of, even though deep down, we know there's really nothing to be afraid of.
While Friday the 13th is often seen as an unlucky day in the United States, it's pretty cool to explore how luck and misfortune can be seen in totally different ways across the globe.
The idea of superstitious dates is not limited to the US, although the unlucky day varies according to different cultures. For instance, in Spain, it's Tuesday the 13th that's considered unlucky, and in Italy, they're cautious about the 17th day of any month. For example, in Italy it is not Friday the 13th, but Friday the 17th that is considered unlucky. Additionally, if Friday the 17th falls in November, that is considered to be the unluckiest day of all, because November 2 is memorial day to the deceased in Italy. In Spanish speaking counries, it is not the date but the day that is different. Rather than Friday the 13th, Tuesday the 13th is traditionally unlucky. The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day.
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The fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade occurred on Tuesday, April 13, 1204, and the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans happened on Tuesday, May 29, 1453. Both events served to strengthen the superstition surrounding Tuesday. In addition, the name of the day in Greek is Triti (Τρίτη), meaning literally the third (day of the week). In India, Friday the 13th is not considered to be unlucky, nor are there any superstitions connected to the number 13.
The Mystery of Friday the 13th: Unlucky or Just a Myth?। Number 13 is Lucky or Unlucky | Dr. Binocs
Norse Mythology and Christian Traditions
For those who lean towards the unconventional, Friday the 13th carries a peculiar fascination. Our journey kicks off in the epic tales of Norse mythology where, Loki, the ultimate trickster god, unknowingly set the stage for the superstition surrounding the number 13. The mischievous Loki, known for his cheeky, unpredictable nature, once crashed a divine dinner party. In doing so, he found himself as the 13th guest at this legendary gathering of gods, casually setting the stage for what would later become the superstition of Friday the 13th.
Christianity added a few layers to the whole Friday the 13th superstition. They brought in some biblical events that made it even more fascinating. The Last Supper, where 13 guests gathered, and the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, a pivotal moment, reinforced the superstition.
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Friday the 13th in Pop Culture
Superstitions will always find their way into pop culture, shaping the perceptions and fears of majority of the world. Back in the late 20th century, Friday the 13th emerged as a pop cultural phenomenon, all thanks to the iconic horror movie franchise featuring the unforgettable, Jason Voorhees.
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Friday the 13th is an American horror franchise that consists of twelve slasher films, a television show, novels, and comic books. The main villain in the series is Jason Voorhees, who drowned at Camp Crystal Lake as a boy due to the negligence of the teenage counselors. Decades later, the lake is rumored to be "cursed" and is the setting for a series of mass murders. Jason is featured in all of the films, either as the killer or as the motivation for the killings. Each entry in the series features a different cast of characters, including a final girl who defeats the killer in the end.
Jason Voorhees' only goal is to prevent the counselors from escaping while murdering them. He must accomplish these murders in twenty minutes or less. Jason can use tools, which includes placing traps as well as using throwing knives to aid him in his quest. He can grab counselor/players and murder them with various grab kills which can utilize the environment if the Jason/player chooses. On top of this, the game allows Jason to murder counselors by attacking them with a pre-determined weapon based on which Jason is chosen by the player. While playing as Jason, his mother (Pamela Voorhees) communicates to him as a voice from the realm of the dead; oftentimes she urges him to "punish" the camp counselors for their misdeeds. She will also warn Jason if a counselor has intruded his shack unless the counselor is equipped with Jason's mask (which is gained by dealing enough damage to knock it off his face). It's possible for the counselors to kill Jason, although it's very difficult to accomplish without a coordinated team. Even then, escaping his carnage might be the easier goal for a team to pursue. He is currently the only playable character in the Offline Bots mode. Additionally, the child version of Jason from the first Friday the 13th film appears during one of the endings of the Virtual Cabin 2.0. "Jason (Part 1)" is added to the Cabin's Jason Showcase room upon this ending being viewed.
Jason Voorhees, the only son of Pamela and Elias Voorhees, was born on June 13th, 1946; he was born with severe facial deformities on top of a learning disability. Because of this, he was often bullied by other children. This took a tragic turn in 1957; a vicious group of children tormented little Jason Voorhees during his stay with his mother at Camp Crystal Lake, a summer camp for kids. Through unknown means, perhaps being a better swimmer than Pamela thought (given scenes in the later films that imply Jason WAS adept at swimming), Jason survived, and went on to live as a hermit in the woods of Crystal Lake.
Meanwhile, the camp had been closed down due to a spree of murders being perpetrated against the camp counselors. In secrecy, Jason's mother was murdering camp counselors as well as vandalizing the property to get revenge for her son, unaware that Jason was in fact still alive, and thus making sure Camp Crystal Lake would never reopen. Eventually, she was decapitated in self-defense by the last surviving camp counselor named Alice Hardy when the camp was about to be re-opened once more. Jason happened to be nearby when he witnessed his mother being killed.
Starting in 1984, he began murdering all camp counselors near Crystal Lake as well as anyone who entered the area and anyone who interfered with his attempts to murder his prey, much to the misfortune of anyone who lived near there. The only people Jason would refuse to murder are children; this is due to his memories of how he was bullied as a young child, and therefore he refuses to murder children in reverence of his own tragic childhood.
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A few survivors managed to defeat Jason, but it wasn't until a young boy named Tommy Jarvis came around when Jason would meet his demise as a living human. Tommy killed the mass murderer in the same year of 1984 by hacking a machete into the side of Jason's head. For many years, his dead body remained buried in the town graveyard until Tommy Jarvis returned to his grave attempting to cremate Jason's remains, hoping to find solace once again by getting rid of Jason for good. Despite Tommy chaining Jason down into the lake in an attempt to drown him, he was freed twice, dragged into Hell, and was even sent into space. No matter what happens, either in the films or other related media, he continues to be an extremely dangerous mass murderer, seeking only to appease his mother's wishes from beyond the grave.
Friday the 13th Motorcycle Rally
Right in the middle of all this superstition, here comes a cool twist - the Friday the 13th Motorcycle Rally. Today, as we get into the Friday the 13th groove, bikers are revving up and rolling into Port Dover, Ontario, Canada, for this iconic event. It's a massive summer gathering with over 100,000 bikers, showcasing that rebel spirit we all dig, breaking the rules, and diving into the excitement of the unknown.
Friday the 13th Motorcycle Rally in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
Pagan Roots and Feminine Power
While Friday the 13th can be scary for some, but there's another interesting side to the story. Back in pagan days, Friday was about celebrating the divine - a day of love, marriage, and motherhood. The number 13, in turn, held deep connections to lunar and menstrual cycles, symbolizing the power of the feminine. When we consider the historical suppression of strong women, maybe it's time to rethink the story behind this 'unlucky' Friday the 13th date and and its connection to remarkable female deities.
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