Beware, Friday the 13th is upon us, and here are some facts about it.
FRIDAY THE 13TH – Apart from being known as an unlucky day in many cultures, here are some other facts you probably don’t know yet.
Oftentimes, Friday the 13th is associated with bad luck, misfortune, and superstitions. There are several notions and beliefs connected to this and many of us still see this day as a day of bad luck – an enduring cultural phenomenon with different interpretations.
Meanwhile, here are 13 facts about this famous day:
- The fear is real of this day as this kind of fear is called Friggatriskaidekaphobia or Paraskevidekatriaphobia. This fear is common and affects millions of people and businesses.
- Another fact about fear is that the fear of the number 13 is called Triskaidekaphobia. A lot of high-rise buildings, hotels, and hospitals skip the 13th floor and several airports don’t have gates numbered 13.
- The longest time that the calendar did not have this day is 14 months.
- This day exists if a month starts on Sunday. Blame Sunday!
- Fridays the 13th can occur THRICE in a leap year. If a leap year starts on a Sunday, this day will occur in the months of January, April, and July. In the 20th century, this happened in 1928, 1956, and 1984, and in the 21st century, this will happen four times in 2012, 2040, 2068, and 2096.
- It is not unlucky for all. In Italy, Friday the 17th is the day that brings bad luck while in many Spanish-speaking countries and in Greece, Tuesday the 13th is the day of misfortune.
- On Friday, April 13 of 2029, an asteroid will safely fly by the Earth.
- Some numerologists believe that 13 is considered unlucky because of its relation with the “complete” number: 12 months in a year, 12 apostles, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 gods of Olympus, and 12 hours on a clock.
- 13 is a lucky number to some. For pagans, it is the number of full moons in a year.
- There will be three Fridays on the 13th in 2026 which could be unsettling to some.
- Some big unfortunate events happened on this day such as the German bombing of Buckingham Palace (September 1940); the death of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York (March 1964); a cyclone that killed more than 300,000 people in Bangladesh (November 1970); the disappearance of a Chilean Air Force plane in the Andes (October 1972); the death of rapper Tupac Shakur (September 1996) and the crash of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the coast of Italy that claimed the lives of 30 people (January 2012).
- In the Bible, the Last Supper happened on the 12th and Judas was the 13th guest who betrayed Jesus. The next day, Friday and on the date of 13, Jesus was crucified.
- Some believed that Cain killed Abel on the date of 13th, Friday.
What can you say about this? Let us know in the comments!