Happy Friday the 13th! Today we are going to discuss Paraskevidekatriaphobia or the fear of Friday the 13th.
Ok that movie was pretty scary (at least for its time), but that's not precisely what I mean, join me over the orange itzl for more.
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According to Dr. Donald Dossey, a phobia expert, Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the most widespread superstition in the US, affecting up to 8% of the population. But what is the basis for this ancient superstition? Why is Friday the 13th thought to be evil? And is there any basis for it?
In ancient times, the Chinese and Egyptians considered 13 a lucky number. To the ancient Egyptians for example, 13 represented the number of stages one went through in life, the 13th being the glorious transformation into the next life, or death. Is this perhaps why the number 13 became feared in later years, because it was associated with death which was feared by other cultures instead of revered?
Or did this fear come from patriarchal societies because older matriarchal ones revered the number 13 because there were 13 lunar cycles in a year? (13 x 28 = 364 days) Patriarchal societies preferred a solar calender to a lunar one and so the 13th month became 'wrong'.
The Hindus and Vikings believed that if 13 people sat down to a meal the last person to sit was 'doomed'. This is also born out in the Christian religion during the last supper, where 13 people sat to supper and Christ was crucified on Friday. Of course two people from that meeting died soon after, if you count Judas, so I'm not sure how one would account for that.
The word Friday was derived from the Norse for "Frigga's Day" and the Christians saw her as a witch. Thus Friday was seen as unlucky in the Christian culture but lucky in the Viking one. Here are some other superstitions linked to Fridays:
LEGEND HAS IT: Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams. If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow. Don't start a trip on Friday or you will encounter misfortune. Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck, as in the tale of H.M.S. Friday. One hundred years ago, the British government sought to quell the longstanding superstition among seamen that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned and given the name "H.M.S. Friday." They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday, and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. Finally, it was on a Friday that H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage — and was never seen or heard from again.
According to Snopes, in 1908 Senator Owen from Oklahoma, who was a Cherokee Indian, introduced 13 bills bills on Friday the 13th and the file numbers began with 6,113 in an effort to disprove the superstition. I couldn't find anything about if they passed or failed however.
When we were kids, we held parties on Friday the 13th. We never held with the superstition and so we had great fun instead with friends in direct opposition to it. I have many fond memories of Friday the 13th's throughout the years.
How about you? How do you spend Friday the 13th?
I think it's more important to not wear heels in the woods or shower in a cabin alone after midnight. Both of those I learned from:
Resources:
Urban Legends
Snopes