Why is Friday 13th unlucky? The origins of the superstition explained

Of all the Western superstitions that exist, the notion that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day is one of the most enduring.

In 2023, 13 October is the second and final Friday the 13th this year, while 2022 only had to contend with one.

We explore the origins and strange resonance of this allegedly “unlucky” day.

Why is Friday the 13th seen as unlucky?

Various theories abound as to the alleged “unluckiness” of Friday the 13th, but both Friday and the number 13 have carried negative connotations throughout history.

Such theories continue to resonate, with many hotels not having a room number 13 and some major airlines omitting a 13th row on flights.

The origin of this aversion is believed by some to come from the Bible’s story of the last supper, which saw 13 people gathering together on the night before Christ’s crucifixion.

Judas Iscariot, the man who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th member of this party.

Friday is also believed to be the day that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, the day Cain murdered his brother, Abel, the day Noah’s ark set sail in the Great Flood, and the day the Temple of Solomon was toppled.

It’s also been suggested that the superstition comes from an incident that took place on Friday the 13th in 1307, when Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar.

This is mentioned in the 1955 historical novel The Iron King by Maurice Druon and later in Dan Brown’s 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code, as well as various other publications.

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Norse mythology also has its own explanation, with the story “13” concerning a feast attended by 12 gods in Valhalla, which was gatecrashed by Loki, the god of mischief.

As the uninvited and 13th guest at the table, Loki proceeded to trick the blind god Hodr into shooting his brother, Balder, the god of light, joy and goodness, killing him instantly, prompting the “whole earth to mourn”.

In more recent years, Thomas W Lawson’s 1907 book, Friday, the Thirteenth, was also cited as responsible for reinforcing the supposed unluckiness of this fateful day.

The novel tells the story of an unscrupulous broker who takes advantage of the Friday 13th superstition to create a Wall Street panic on that date.

Such is the anxiety surrounding the number 13, there’s even a word to describe this irrational fear: triskaidekaphobia.

Do other countries believe Friday the 13th is unlucky?

While some Western countries subscribe to the Friday the 13th superstition, it is far from being universal.

In Italy, 13 is actually believed to be a lucky number, which was also the case in ancient Egypt and China.

Friday 17th rather than 13th is the day of bad luck in Italy, and it’s said that this comes from the number’s Roman numerals (XVII).

By shuffling the digits around, you can get the word VIXI, which in Latin means ‘I have lived’, implying death in the present and an omen of bad luck.

In Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th (or Martes Trece) is considered a day of bad luck, occurring on months that start on a Thursday.

Greek people also consider Tuesday, and especially Tuesday 13th, to be unlucky.

In Greek mythology, Ares – the god of war – is associated with Tuesday, and various unfortunate historical events took place on Tuesday 13th, such as the fall of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade on Tuesday 13 April 1204.

Elsewhere, global popstar Taylor Swift has turned the superstition on its head.

The singer-songwriter considers the number to be lucky, often writing it on her hand before her live shows.

“I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first No 1 one song had a 13-second intro,” she told MTV in 2009.

“Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter. Basically, whenever a 13 comes up in my life, it’s a good thing.”

When does Friday the 13th take place?

Friday the 13th takes place every time a month starts with a Sunday.

The date occurs at least once every year – and even three times in 2015.

In 2023, however, this is the second and final Friday the 13th of the year, while 2024 brings with it two instances of the inauspicious date.