In Western cultures, Friday the 13th is generally considered an unlucky day. This date occurs when the 13th day of a month falls on a Friday, which occurs at least once a year. In some years it can occur up to three times. For example, in 2015, Friday the 13th occurred in February, March and November. The same pattern is expected to repeat itself in 2026. Leap years that start on a Sunday, such as 2012 and 2040, also have three Fridays the 13th in January, April and July.
This day is different every time. Between 2017 and 2020, there were two Friday the 13ths per year, just like in 2023. Then there are years like 2016, 2021, 2022 and the future years 2025, 2027 and 2028, in which this day only appears once. The current year, 2024, has two such events, the first on September 13, 2024 and the second on December 13, 2024. A Friday the 13th occurs when the first day of a month begins on a Sunday, making it an interesting calendar phenomenon .
The origin of a superstition
According to an article by DailyExpertNews, The superstition behind Friday the 13th is a mixture of myths and historical beliefs that have been formed over centuries. For a long time, cultures around the world believed that Friday and the number 13 were bad luck. As Charles Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things tells us, it all goes back to Norse mythology when Loki's disruptive presence as the thirteenth guest at a Valhalla party led to tragedy. The superstition spread across Europe, where it merged with Biblical stories such as the Last Supper, in which Judas Iscariot, the 13th guest, betrayed Jesus before his crucifixion on a Friday.
Fridays were also historically associated with events such as the fall of Adam and Eve, the murder of Abels, and Noah's ark. The 19th century popularized Friday the 13th as an unlucky day, which was further driven by Thomas W. Lawson's novel Friday, the Thirteenth and Hollywood's Friday. the 13th films. Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code later added its own twist, reinforcing its modern infamy.
