Attention, Friday the 13th is just around the corner.
Some consider it to be an extremely unlucky day, which can occur up to three times a year in the calendar. Why is it an unlucky day? Some references in the Bible. Some of the bad omens:
◾ Judasthe 13th person at the Last Supper in the Bible, is said to have betrayed Jesus.
◾ Friday: Several disturbing events occurred on this day, including the crucifixion of Jesus.
There are other reasons to be concerned about the number 13, even beyond the Bible. According to Norse mythology, Loki, the 13th guest, interrupted the gods’ dinner by plunging the world into darkness.
When is the next Friday the 13th?
Fortunately, Fridays that fall on the 13th are quite rare. There are usually two each year. A particularly worrying year for some might be 2026, when there will be three.
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Fear of the number 13
If you’re worried about Friday the 13th, others are too. You may be suffering from triskaidekaphobia, a phobia of the number 13.
However, if the number 13 only scares you on Fridays, you may be suffering from Paraskevidekatriaphobia, or fear of Friday the 13th.
According to an online poll by YouGov.com, Americans believe that walking under a ladder is more unlucky than Friday the 13th.
Most searched superstitions by state
An analysis of a casino in Wisconsin found that most people were looking for good luck rather than bad luck.
The 2021 study examined more than 200 common superstitions by using Google search analysis to determine which terms and phrases were popular in each state.
For most people, fear of Friday the 13th is a harmless superstition – something we may playfully pretend to have. At the same time, there’s no harm in throwing some salt over your shoulder or looking for a penny on the sidewalk on Friday.
CONTRIBUTION: Jim Sergent/USA TODAY
SOURCE TimeandDate.com, YouGov.com, NationalGeographic.com, LiveScience.com and History.com
