Ancient guests and bakers’ dozens: Why we fear Friday the 13th

A day when superstitions rule and every setback can be chocked up to bad luck.

There is no evidence to show that Friday the 13th is more or less unlucky than any other day. And who decided the number 13 was worthy of people’s fear?

That doesn’t stop us giving it an official name though: Paraskevidekatriaphobia – a word which marries the Greek word “Paraskeví”, meaning “Friday”, with “dekatreís”, meaning “thirteen”. From the history of this unlucky day to the math that explains how often the dreaded date occurs in a calendary year, here’s everything you need to know about Friday the 13th.

There at least one Friday the 13th per year, but 2015 was a particularly unlucky year, with three.

-Friday the 13th can only happen in months that begin on a Sunday.

Twelve is considered a complete number.. A 1993 study in the British Medical Journal even revealed “a significant level of traffic-related incidences on Friday the 13th as opposed to a random day”. Whilst 28% of United Kingdom streets fail to include a Number 13 house, if you find one that does, you may save up to £4,000 for your bravery, according to Zoopla.

-In 2010, lightning struck a 13-year-old boy in Suffolk, England, on Friday 13th at 13:13. Tupac Shakur died on Friday, September 13, 1996. The disciple who betrayed Jesus is believed to have been the 13th guest.

-There have been 12 Friday the 13th movies, the last of which appeared in 2009.

“If you grow up in a culture where superstition is talked about as real, then you’re more likely to acquire that belief and be affected by it in your everyday life”.

“If everyday was Friday the 13th, no one would care”, says Vyse. “Any fear that’s associated with it is a bit more salient”.

Buildings are sometimes constructed without a 13th floor. But what makes Friday 13 special, and why has it developed these associations with bad luck, mystery and even evil? Try Friday 13th! TheKnot.com conducted research which revealed that 1,345 fewer couples are set to Wednesday on Friday 13th July 2017, compared to the following Friday. That’s because their unlucky day is Tuesday the 13th.

It may have to do with the origins of the Spanish word for Tuesday, which is “martes”, named after the Roman god of war Mars.

Scared or not, ABC7 has compiled a list of 13 fun facts about the spooky number 13 and the day Friday.