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{{Short description|Unlucky day in popular superstition}} | {{Short description|Unlucky day in popular superstition}} | ||
{{About|the superstition|the | {{About|the superstition|the film franchise|Friday the 13th (franchise){{!}}''Friday the 13th'' (franchise)|other uses|Friday the 13th (disambiguation)}} | ||
{{Redirect|Paraskevidekatriaphobia|the television episode|Paraskevidekatriaphobia (Inside No. 9){{!}}"Paraskevidekatriaphobia" (''Inside No. 9'')}} | |||
{{pp-semi-indef}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} | ||
[[File:Freitag der 13. im Kalender.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Friday the 13th marked on a calendar]] | [[File:Freitag der 13. im Kalender.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|Friday the 13th marked on a calendar]] | ||
'''Friday the 13th''' is considered an unlucky day in [[Western culture|Western]] [[superstition]]. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the [[Gregorian calendar]] falls on a [[Friday]], which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. For | '''Friday the 13th''' is considered an unlucky day in [[Western culture|Western]] [[superstition]]. It occurs when the [[13th day of the month]] in the [[Gregorian calendar]] falls on a [[Friday]], which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. | ||
For a month to have a Friday the 13th, the first day of the month must be a [[Sunday]]. | |||
== Origins == | |||
=== Unluckiness of 13 === | |||
=== Unluckiness of | |||
{{main|Triskaidekaphobia}} | {{main|Triskaidekaphobia}} | ||
One source mentioned for the unlucky reputation of the number 13 is a [[Norse mythology|Norse myth]] about twelve gods having a dinner party in [[Valhalla]]. The trickster god [[Loki]], who was not invited, arrived as the thirteenth guest, and arranged for [[Höðr]], the god of darkness, to shoot [[Balder]], the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died, triggering much suffering in the world, which caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/5/110513-friday-the-13th-superstitions-triskaidekaphobia/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009112626/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/5/110513-friday-the-13th-superstitions-triskaidekaphobia/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 October 2019 |title=Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More |website=[[National Geographic]]|last=Roach|first=John|date=May 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Hutchinson |first=Sean |date=13 July 2018 |title=Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky? |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52696/why-friday-13th-considered-unlucky |journal=[[Mental Floss]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713202751/https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/52696/why-friday-13th-considered-unlucky |archive-date=13 July 2018}}</ref> | |||
==== Christian associations ==== | ==== Christian associations ==== | ||
[[File:Última Cena - Da Vinci 5.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|''[[The Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci)|The Last Supper]]'' by Leonardo da | [[File:Última Cena - Da Vinci 5.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|''[[The Last Supper (Leonardo da Vinci)|The Last Supper]]'' by [[Leonardo da Vinci]]]] | ||
The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of [[Jesus]]' [[ | The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of [[Jesus]]'s [[Last Supper]] and [[Crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]] in which there were thirteen individuals present in the [[Upper Room]] on the thirteenth of [[Nisan]] [[Maundy Thursday]], the night before his death on [[Good Friday]].{{efn|name=DellaContrada-2004-02-09-UBuff-quote| | ||
There were 13 people at the [[upper room|table]] (at the [[Last Supper]]) and the 13th was [[Jesus]]. The Last Supper was on a [[Maundy Thursday|Thursday]], and the next day was [[Good Friday|Friday]], the day of [[crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]]. When '13' and Friday come together, it's a double whammy.<ref name=DellaContrada-2004-02-09-UBuff> | There were 13 people at the [[upper room|table]] (at the [[Last Supper]]) and the 13th was [[Jesus]]. The Last Supper was on a [[Maundy Thursday|Thursday]], and the next day was [[Good Friday|Friday]], the day of [[crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]]. When '13' and Friday come together, it's a double whammy.<ref name=DellaContrada-2004-02-09-UBuff> | ||
{{cite web | {{cite web | ||
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|publisher=[[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|U. Buffalo / SUNY]] | |publisher=[[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|U. Buffalo / SUNY]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
</ref>}} | </ref>}}{{efn|name=Hartston-2007-quote| | ||
{{efn|name=Hartston-2007-quote| | |||
In Christian tradition, fear of Friday the 13th stems from the day of the Crucifixion (Friday) and the number at the {{grey|[table at the]}} Last Supper (13 {{grey|[men]}}). Despite these origins, the Friday the 13th superstition dates back only to the Middle Ages.<ref name=Hartston-2007> | In Christian tradition, fear of Friday the 13th stems from the day of the Crucifixion (Friday) and the number at the {{grey|[table at the]}} Last Supper (13 {{grey|[men]}}). Despite these origins, the Friday the 13th superstition dates back only to the Middle Ages.<ref name=Hartston-2007> | ||
{{cite book | {{cite book | ||
| Line 47: | Line 41: | ||
=== In conjunction with Friday === | === In conjunction with Friday === | ||
While there is evidence of both Friday | While there is evidence of both Friday{{efn|[[Friday]] has been considered an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects at least since the 14th century, as witnessed by Chaucer's ''[[The Canterbury Tales|Canterbury Tales]]'' {{cite encyclopedia| last1=Opie | first1=Iona | last2=Tatem | first2=Moira|dictionary=A Dictionary of Superstitions | title=FRIDAY an unlucky day | publisher=Oxford Reference |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780192829160.001.0001/acref-9780192829160-e-627|isbn=9780192829160|date=2003}}}} and the number 13<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| last1=Opie | first1=Iona | last2=Tatem | first2=Moira|dictionary=A Dictionary of Superstitions | title=THIRTEEN unlucky number | publisher=Oxford Reference |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780192829160.001.0001/acref-9780192829160-e-1438|isbn=9780192829160|date=2003}}</ref> being considered unlucky, there is no record of the two items being referred to as especially unlucky in conjunction before the 19th century.<ref name=Lachenmeyer-2004> | ||
{{cite book | {{cite book | ||
|first=Nathaniel |last=Lachenmeyer | |first=Nathaniel |last=Lachenmeyer | ||
| Line 53: | Line 47: | ||
|title=13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition | |title=13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition | ||
|chapter=5 | |chapter=5 | ||
|publisher=Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated | |||
|isbn=9780452284968 | |isbn=9780452284968 | ||
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDXJ1s0YNAgC | |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDXJ1s0YNAgC | ||
| Line 66: | Line 61: | ||
}} | }} | ||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
====The Knights Templar==== | |||
Some cite [[History of the Knights Templar#Fall|the arrest of the Knights Templar]] on Friday, October 13, 1307, by officers of King Philip IV of France as the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition, but it is agreed the origins remain murky.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-10 |title=Friday the 13th - Origins, History & Superstition |url=https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/friday-the-13th |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128140418/https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/friday-the-13th |archive-date=2023-11-28 |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=HISTORY |language=en}}</ref>{{unreliable source|date=October 2025}} | |||
==== 19th century ==== | ==== 19th century ==== | ||
[[File:Rossini by Grevedon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|[[Gioachino Rossini]] by Henri Grevedon]] | [[File:Rossini by Grevedon.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.8|[[Gioachino Rossini]] by Henri Grevedon]] | ||
In France, Friday 13th might have been associated with misfortune as early as the first half of the 19th century. A character in the 1834 play ''Les Finesses des Gribouilles'' states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2017/01/whos-afraid-of-friday-the-thirteenth/ | | In France, Friday 13th might have been associated with misfortune as early as the first half of the 19th century. A character in the 1834 play ''Les Finesses des Gribouilles'' states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes".<ref>{{cite web |last=Hall |first=Stephanie |date=12 January 2017 |title=Who's Afraid of Friday the Thirteenth? | Folklife Today |url=https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2017/01/whos-afraid-of-friday-the-thirteenth/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818131009/https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2017/01/whos-afraid-of-friday-the-thirteenth/ |archive-date=August 18, 2025}}</ref> | ||
An early documented reference in English occurs in [[Henry Sutherland Edwards|H. S. Edwards']] biography of [[Gioachino Rossini]], who died on | An early documented reference in English occurs in [[Henry Sutherland Edwards|H. S. Edwards']] biography of [[Gioachino Rossini]], who died on Friday 13th of November 1868: | ||
:"Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."<ref> | :"Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."<ref> | ||
{{cite book | {{cite book | ||
| Line 84: | Line 83: | ||
==== Dissemination ==== | ==== Dissemination ==== | ||
It is possible that the publication in 1907 of [[Thomas W. Lawson (businessman)|T. W. Lawson]]'s popular novel ''Friday, the Thirteenth'',<ref> | It is possible that the publication in 1907 of [[Thomas W. Lawson (businessman)|T. W. Lawson]]'s popular novel ''Friday, the Thirteenth'',<ref> | ||
{{cite book | {{cite book |last=Lawson |first=Thomas W. |author-link=Thomas W. Lawson (businessman) |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12345/12345-h/12345-h.htm |title=Friday, the Thirteenth |date=February 1907 |magazine= |year=1907 |edition=1st |access-date=13 May 2011 |via=[[Gutenberg.org]]}} | ||
}} | |||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
contributed to popularizing the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous [[broker]] takes advantage of the superstition to create a [[Wall Street]] panic on a Friday the 13th.<ref name=Lachenmeyer-2004/> | contributed to popularizing the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous [[broker]] takes advantage of the superstition to create a [[Wall Street]] panic on a Friday the 13th.<ref name=Lachenmeyer-2004/> | ||
== | == Occurrence == | ||
=== Distribution === | |||
Each 400-year [[Gregorian calendar|Gregorian]] [[Solar cycle (calendar)|solar cycle]] contains 146,097 days (with 97 [[leap year|leap days]]) or exactly 20,871 weeks. Each cycle contains the same pattern of days of the week and therefore the same pattern of Fridays that are on the 13th. The 13th day of the month is very slightly more likely to be a Friday than any other day of the week.<ref>{{cite news |author=Bodin, Magnus |date=13 November 1998 |title=About the date+day distribution along the epoch |website=x42 |url=http://x42.com/datelab/daydist.shtml |access-date=30 January 2014}} | |||
</ref><ref>{{cite journal |first1=B.H. |last1=Brown |first2=Raphael |last2=Robinson |name-list-style=amp |year=1933 |title=Solution to problem E36 |journal=[[American Mathematical Monthly]] |volume=40 |issue=10 |page=607|doi=10.2307/2301694 |jstor=2301694 }} | |||
</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Meeus |first=J. |author-link=Jean Meeus |year=2007 |title=Mathematical Astronomy Morsels IV |page=367}}</ref> | |||
:{| class=wikitable style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" | |||
|+ Distribution of the 13th day per weekday over 4,800 months (400 years) | |||
|- style="vertical-align:center; text-align:center" | |||
! Day of the week | |||
! Monday || Tuesday || Wednesday || Thursday || Friday || Saturday || Sunday | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
! Occurrences | |||
| 685 || 685 || 687 || 684 || '''688''' || 684 || 687 | |||
|} | |||
Any month that starts on a Sunday contains a Friday the 13th, and there is at least one Friday the 13th in every calendar year. | |||
The months with a Friday the 13th are determined by the [[Dominical letter]] (G, F, GF, etc.) of the year. Years which begin on the same day of the week and are of the same type (i.e. [[common year]] or [[leap year]]), will have a Friday the 13th in the same months. | |||
This sequence, given here for 1900–2099, follows a 28-year cycle from 1 March 1900 to 28 February 2100: | |||
=== | {| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" | ||
|+ Months with the 13th on a Friday for years from 1900 through 2100 | |||
{{ | |- style="vertical-align:center;" | ||
! Years during which a Friday the 13th<br />occurs in the month to the right<br />(current and subsequent year are marked in bold) | |||
! {{small|Month with<br />its 13th on<br />a Friday}} | |||
! {{small|Year length<br />and weekday of<br />January the 1st}} | |||
! {{small|Year's<br />[[Dominical letter|dominical<br />letter]]}} | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1905, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1933, 1939, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1967, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1995;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2006, 2012, 2017, 2023, 2034, 2040, 2045, 2051, 2062, 2068, 2073, 2079, 2090, 2096 | |||
| '''January''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Sunday|365: Sunday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Sunday|366: Sunday]] | |||
| '''A'''<br />'''A'''G | |||
}} | |- style="text-align:center;" | ||
</ | |style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1903, 1914, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1942, 1948, 1953, 1959, 1970, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1998;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2004, 2009, 2015, '''2026''', 2032, 2037, 2043, 2054, 2060, 2065, 2071, 2082, 2088, 2093, 2099 | ||
| '''February''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Thursday|365: Thursday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Thursday|366: Thursday]] | |||
| '''D'''<br />'''D'''C | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992; 1998;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2009, 2015, 2020, '''2026''', 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 | |||
| '''March''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Thursday|365: Thursday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Wednesday|366: Wednesday]] | |||
| '''D'''<br />E'''D''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984; 1990;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 | |||
| '''April''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Monday|365: Monday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Sunday|366: Sunday]] | |||
| '''G'''<br />A'''G''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1904, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1932, 1938, 1949, 1955, 1960, 1966, 1977, 1983, 1988, 1994;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2005, 2011, 2016, 2022, 2033, 2039, 2044, 2050, 2061, 2067, 2072, 2078, 2089, 2095 | |||
| '''May''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Saturday|365: Saturday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Friday|366: Friday]] | |||
| '''B'''<br />C'''B''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1902, 1913, 1919, 1924, 1930, 1941, 1947, 1952, 1958, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1997;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2003, 2008, 2014, 2025, 2031, 2036, 2042, 2053, 2059, 2064, 2070, 2081, 2087, 2092, 2098 | |||
| '''June''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Wednesday|365: Wednesday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Tuesday|366: Tuesday]] | |||
| '''E'''<br />F'''E''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984, 1990;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 | |||
| '''July''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Monday|365: Monday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Sunday|366: Sunday]] | |||
| '''G'''<br />A'''G''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1909, 1915, 1920, 1926, 1937, 1943, 1948, 1954, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1982, 1993, 1999;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2004, 2010, 2021, '''2027''', 2032, 2038, 2049, 2055, 2060, 2066, 2077, 2083, 2088, 2094, 2100 | |||
| '''August''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Friday|365: Friday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Thursday|366: Thursday]] | |||
| '''C'''<br />D'''C''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 | |||
| '''September''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Tuesday|365: Tuesday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Monday|366: Monday]] | |||
| '''F'''<br />G'''F''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1905, 1911, 1916, 1922, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1950, 1961, 1967, 1972, 1978, 1989, 1995, 2000;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2006, 2017, 2023, 2028, 2034, 2045, 2051, 2056, 2062, 2073, 2079, 2084, 2090 | |||
| '''October''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Sunday|365: Sunday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Saturday|366: Saturday]] | |||
| '''A'''<br />B'''A''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2009, 2015, 2020, '''2026''', 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 | |||
| '''November''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Thursday|365: Thursday]] <br /> [[Leap year starting on Wednesday|366: Wednesday]] | |||
|style="text-align:center"| '''D''' <br />E'''D''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center;" | |||
|style="text-align:left;"| {{grey|'''20th-century:'''}} 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996;<br />{{grey|'''21st-century:'''}} 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 | |||
| '''December''' | |||
| [[Common year starting on Tuesday|365: Tuesday]]<br />[[Leap year starting on Monday|366: Monday]] | |||
| '''F'''<br />G'''F''' | |||
|} | |||
=== Frequency === | |||
{{cite | Although there is always at least one Friday the 13th per [[calendar year]], it can be as long as 14 months between two Friday the 13ths.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Solomon |last=Golomb |date=September 2007 |title=Solutions to 'Calendar oddities' |department=Golomb's Gambits |magazine=Johns Hopkins Magazine |volume=59 |issue=4 |url=http://pages.jh.edu/jhumag/0907web/golomb2.html}}</ref> The longest period that occurs without a Friday the 13th is 14 months, either from July to September the following year being a [[common year starting on Tuesday]] [[Dominical letter|(F)]] (e.g. 2018–19 and 2029-30), or from August to October the following year being a [[leap year starting on Saturday]] [[Dominical letter|(BA)]] (e.g. 1999–2000 and 2027–28). The shortest period that occurs with a Friday the 13th is just one month, from February to March in a [[common year starting on Thursday]] [[Dominical letter|(D)]] (e.g. 2026 and 2037). | ||
|title= | |||
}} | |||
</ref> | |||
On average, there is a Friday the 13th once every 212.35 days. Friday the 13ths occurs with an average frequency of 1.7218 per year or about 3477 since the year 1 CE. | |||
=== | ==== Frequency within a single year ==== | ||
There can be no more than three Friday the 13ths in a single calendar year; either in February, March, and November in a [[common year starting on Thursday]] (such as 2026 or 2037) (D), or January, April, and July in a [[leap year starting on Sunday]] (such as 2012 or 2040) [[Dominical letter|(AG)]].<ref name="Kher-13Facts-TaD">{{cite web |last=Kher |first=Aparna |title=13 Facts about Friday the 13th |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/13-things-friday-13.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207210905/https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/13-things-friday-13.html |archive-date=February 7, 2026 |website=Time and Date (timeanddate.com)}}</ref> | |||
{{cite web | |||
}} | |||
</ref> | |||
In the 2000s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2009, and two Friday the 13ths in 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2007. In the 2010s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2012 and 2015, and two in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2019.<ref name="Fri-13-months-days-TaD"> | |||
{{cite web |title=Months and years having Friday the 13th |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/weekday-friday-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212161541/https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/weekday-friday-13 |archive-date=February 12, 2026 |website=Time and Date (timeanddate.com)}} | |||
</ref> In the 2020s, there were two Friday the 13ths in 2020, 2023 and 2024, as will be for 2029. There will also be three Friday the 13ths in 2026.<ref name=Fri-13-months-days-TaD/> The remaining years all have one Friday the 13th.<ref name=Fri-13-months-days-TaD/> | |||
For the details see the table below; this table is for the Gregorian calendar and {{red|Jan}}/{{red|Feb}} for {{red|leap years}}: | |||
== Social | :{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;" | ||
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in [[Asheville, North Carolina]], an estimated 17–21 million people in the United States are affected by | |- style="vertical-align:center; text-align:center" | ||
! Year<br />[[modular arithmetic|modulo]] 28 || {{red|1600 2000}} || 1700 2100 || 1800 2200 || 1900 2300 || Year<br />[[modular arithmetic|modulo]] 28 | |||
|- | |||
| {{red|00}} 06 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 17 23 || Jan Oct || {{red|Feb}} Aug || Jun || {{red|Jan}} Apr Jul || {{red|00}} 06 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 17 23 | |||
|- | |||
| 01 07 {{red|12}} 18 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} || {{red|Jan}} Apr Jul || May || Feb Mar Nov || Sep Dec || 01 07 {{red|12}} 18 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} | |||
|- | |||
| 02 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 13 19 {{red|24}} || Sep Dec || Jan Oct || {{red|Feb}} Aug || Jun || 02 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 13 19 {{red|24}} | |||
|- | |||
| 03 {{red|08}} 14 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 25 || Jun || {{red|Jan}} Apr Jul || May || Feb Mar Nov || 03 {{red|08}} 14 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 25 | |||
|- | |||
| {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 09 15 {{red|20}} 26 || Feb Mar Nov || Sep Dec || Jan Oct || {{red|Feb}} Aug || {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 09 15 {{red|20}} 26 | |||
|- | |||
| {{red|04}} 10 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 21 27 || {{red|Feb}} Aug || Jun || {{red|Jan}} Apr Jul || May || {{red|04}} 10 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} 21 27 | |||
|- | |||
| 05 11 {{red|16}} 22 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} || May || Feb Mar Nov || Sep Dec || Jan Oct || 05 11 {{red|16}} 22 {{figure space}}{{figure space}} | |||
|} | |||
==Social influence== | |||
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in [[Asheville, North Carolina]], an estimated 17–21 million people in the United States are affected by ''paraskavedekatriaphobia'', the fear of Friday the 13th, making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. It has been estimated that [[United States dollar|US$]] 800–900 million is lost in business on this day.<ref> | |||
{{cite news | {{cite news | ||
|author=Roach, John | |author=Roach, John | ||
| Line 183: | Line 219: | ||
|website=National Geographic News | |website=National Geographic News | ||
|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html | |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html | ||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040603014858/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html | |||
|url-status=dead | |||
|archive-date=3 June 2004 | |||
|access-date=29 October 2008 | |access-date=29 October 2008 | ||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 214: | Line 253: | ||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
The event is coordinated by the [[Finnish Red Cross]] and has been held since 1995.<ref> | The event is coordinated by the [[Finnish Red Cross]] and has been held since 1995.<ref> | ||
{{Cite web | {{Cite web |last=Tikkanen |first=Tiina |date=30 March 2016 |title=Mikä on Tapaturmapäivä? |url=http://www.kotitapaturma.fi/mika-on-tapaturmapaiva/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909000345/http://www.kotitapaturma.fi/mika-on-tapaturmapaiva/ |archive-date=2018-09-09 |access-date=2018-01-09 |website=www.kotitapaturma.fi |language=fi}} | ||
}} | |||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
| Line 273: | Line 307: | ||
</ref><ref> | </ref><ref> | ||
{{Cite journal | {{Cite journal | ||
|first1=Jochen |last1=Schuld |first2=Jan E. |last2=Slotta | |first1=Jochen |last1=Schuld |first2=Jan E. |last2=Slotta | ||
|first3=Simone |last3=Schuld |first4=Otto |last4=Kollmar | |first3=Simone |last3=Schuld |first4=Otto |last4=Kollmar | ||
|first5=Martin K. |last5=Schilling |first6=Sven |last6=Richter | |first5=Martin K. |last5=Schilling |first6=Sven |last6=Richter | ||
|date=2011-09-01 | |date=2011-09-01 | ||
|title=Popular belief meets surgical reality: Impact of Lunar phases, Friday the 13th, and Zodiac signs on emergency operations and intraoperative blood loss | |title=Popular belief meets surgical reality: Impact of Lunar phases, Friday the 13th, and Zodiac signs on emergency operations and intraoperative blood loss | ||
| Line 286: | Line 320: | ||
On 12 June 2008 the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated to the contrary, that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the [[Netherlands]]; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500."<ref> | On 12 June 2008 the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated to the contrary, that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the [[Netherlands]]; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500."<ref> | ||
{{cite news | {{cite news |date=13 June 2008 |title=Friday 13th is no longer unlucky |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/friday-13th-is-no-longer-unlucky-313210 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110054940/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/friday-13th-is-no-longer-unlucky-313210 |archive-date=10 January 2018 |website=Mirror (mirror.co.uk) |publisher=[[Daily Mirror]] |orig-year=13 Jun 2008}} | ||
}} | |||
</ref><ref> | </ref><ref> | ||
{{cite news | {{cite news |last=van der Struik |first=Tineke |date=2008-06-13 |editor-last=Evans |editor-first=Catherine |title=Friday 13th not more unlucky, Dutch study shows |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUKL1268660720080613 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206053052/http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUKL1268660720080613 |archive-date=6 December 2008 |work=[[Reuters]]}} | ||
}} | |||
</ref> | </ref> | ||
== | === Tattoo Holiday === | ||
In recent years, Friday the 13th has emerged as a holiday for tattoo parlors and enthusiasts; with many shops running for 24 hours, and offering [[Flash (tattoo)|flash tattoos]] featuring the number 13 in the design.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiler |first=Lauren |date=July 13, 2018 |title=How 1 Famous Tattoo Artist Started the Ritual of $13 Tattoos on Friday the 13th |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/how-1-famous-tattoo-artist-started-the-ritual-of-13-tattoos-on-friday-the-13th.html/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415175855/https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/how-1-famous-tattoo-artist-started-the-ritual-of-13-tattoos-on-friday-the-13th.html/ |archive-date=15 April 2021 |access-date=2024-12-13 |work=Showbiz Cheat Sheet}}</ref> Some claim that having a number 13 tattoo can be an antidote to bad luck. According to [[Oliver Peck]]: "Bad luck would come your way, it would see the number 13, see that bad luck is already there, and it would pass on by."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grimm |first=Beca |date=October 13, 2017 |title=How Friday the 13th Became Black Friday for Tattoos |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-friday-the-13th-became-black-friday-for-tattoos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913234932/https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-friday-the-13th-became-black-friday-for-tattoos/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 |work=Vice News}}</ref> | |||
== | == Similar dates == | ||
Similar dates are prevalent in many cultures, although it is unclear whether these similarities are in any way historically connected or only coincidental. | |||
=== Tuesday the 13th in Hispanic and Greek culture === | |||
| | In [[List of countries where Spanish is an official language|Hispanic countries]], instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (''martes trece'') is considered a day of bad luck.<ref name="Falcón-Falcón-1998"> | ||
{{cite book | |||
|last1=Falcón |first1=Rafael | |||
|last2=Falcón |first2=Christine Yoder | |||
| | |year=1998 | ||
|title=Salsa: A taste of Hispanic culture | |||
| | |page=64 | ||
|publisher=Praeger | |||
|isbn=0-275-96121-4 | |||
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=os7DMzXq1rcC&pg=PA64 | |||
|via=Google Books | |||
}} | |||
</ref> | |||
The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day.<ref name="Chrysopoulos-2015-10-13"> | |||
{{cite web |last1=Chrysopoulos |first1=Philip |date=13 October 2015 |title=Why superstitious Greeks fear Tuesday the 13th |url=http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/10/13/why-superstitious-greeks-fear-tuesday-the-13th/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031214542/http://greece.greekreporter.com/2015/10/13/why-superstitious-greeks-fear-tuesday-the-13th/ |archive-date=31 October 2016 |access-date=31 October 2016 |website=Greek Reporter}} | |||
</ref> Tuesday is considered dominated by the influence of [[Ares]], the god of war (or [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] equivalent). The fall of Constantinople to the [[Fourth Crusade]] occurred on [[Siege of Constantinople (1204)|Tuesday 13 April 1204]], and the [[Fall of Constantinople]] to the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] happened on Tuesday 29 May 1453, events that strengthen the superstition about Tuesday. In addition, in [[Greek language|Greek]] the name of the day is ''Triti'' (Τρίτη) meaning the third (day of the week), adding weight to the superstition, since bad luck is said to "come in threes".<ref name=Chrysopoulos-2015-10-13/> | |||
There is a Tuesday the 13th in months that begin on a Thursday. | |||
===Friday the 17th in Italy=== | |||
| | [[File:Alitalia-17.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|An [[Alitalia]] airplane without the row 17]] | ||
| | In Italian popular culture, Friday the 17th (and not the 13th) is considered a bad luck day.<ref> | ||
{{cite news | |||
|first=Carlo |last=Grande | |||
|date=17 February 2012 | |||
|title=Venerdì 17 porta davvero sfortuna? | |||
|newspaper=[[La Stampa]] | |||
| | |url=http://www3.lastampa.it/domande-risposte/articolo/lstp/442871/ | ||
| | |access-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead |language=it | ||
| [[ | |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818234142/http://www3.lastampa.it/domande-risposte/articolo/lstp/442871/ | ||
|archive-date=18 August 2012 | |||
|- | }} | ||
| | </ref> | ||
The origin of this belief could be traced in the writing of the number 17, in [[Roman numerals]]: XVII. By shuffling the digits of the number one can get the [[Latin]] ''[[wikt:vixi|vīxī]]'' ("I have lived", implying death at present), an omen of bad luck.<ref> | |||
{{cite web |author=Harris |first=Nick |date=15 November 2007 |title=Bad omen for Italy as their unlucky number comes up |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/bad-omen-for-italy-as-their-unlucky-number-comes-up-400380.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101082018/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/bad-omen-for-italy-as-their-unlucky-number-comes-up-400380.html |archive-date=1 January 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015 |website=[[The Independent]]}} | |||
</ref> | |||
|- | In fact, in Italy, 13 is generally considered a lucky number,<ref> | ||
{{cite web | |||
|title=Venerdì 13 porta (s)fortuna? Non in Italia | |||
|website=cafebabel.com | |||
|url=http://www.cafebabel.it/article/24987/venerdi-13-17-fortuna-sfortuna-italia.html | |||
|access-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead |language=it | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608183526/http://www.cafebabel.it/article/24987/venerdi-13-17-fortuna-sfortuna-italia.html | |||
|archive-date=8 June 2013 | |||
}}</ref> although some people may consider 13 an unlucky number as well due to Americanization. | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| [[ | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
The 2000 parody film ''[[Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth]]'' was released in Italy with the title ''Shriek – Hai impegni per venerdì 17?'' ("''Shriek – Do You Have Something to Do on Friday the 17th?''").{{cn|date=September 2024}} | |||
There is a Friday the 17th in months that begin on a Wednesday. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[13 (number)]] | * [[13 (number)]] | ||
* [[Ides of March]] | |||
* [[List of bad luck signs]] | |||
* [[Solar cycle (calendar)]] | * [[Solar cycle (calendar)]] | ||
* [[St. Brice's Day massacre]] | * [[St. Brice's Day massacre]] | ||
* [[Triskaidekaphobia]] | |||
* [[Tycho Brahe days]] | * [[Tycho Brahe days]] | ||
| Line 439: | Line 402: | ||
{{Wiktionary| paraskavedekatriaphobia}} | {{Wiktionary| paraskavedekatriaphobia}} | ||
{{Wikiquote}} | {{Wikiquote}} | ||
* {{cite magazine | * {{cite magazine | ||
|first=Josh |last=Sens | |first=Josh |last=Sens | ||
| Line 452: | Line 414: | ||
|quote=When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia? | |quote=When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia? | ||
}} | }} | ||
* {{cite web | * {{cite web | ||
|title=13 years of Friday the 13th! | |title=13 years of Friday the 13th! | ||
| Line 458: | Line 419: | ||
|url=http://robslink.com/SAS/democd42/friday13.htm | |url=http://robslink.com/SAS/democd42/friday13.htm | ||
}} — multi-year calendar with Fri 13s marked | }} — multi-year calendar with Fri 13s marked | ||
* {{cite web | * {{cite web | ||
|first=Larry |last=Williams | |first=Larry |last=Williams | ||
|date=13 August 2010 | |date=13 August 2010 | ||
|title=Friday the 13th | |title=Friday the 13th | ||
|website=dailyspeculations.com | |website=dailyspeculations.com | ||
|url=http://www.dailyspeculations.com/wordpress/?p=5122 | |url=http://www.dailyspeculations.com/wordpress/?p=5122 | ||
}} — article examines [[ | }} — article examines [[S&P 500|S&P 500]] index performance on Fri 13s | ||
* {{cite web | * {{cite web | ||
|author=asxiq | |author=asxiq | ||
|date=12 January 2012 | |date=12 January 2012 | ||
|title=Friday the 13th performance on "All Ords" index | |title=Friday the 13th performance on "All Ords" index | ||
|website=asxiq – all stats and no friction (asxiq.com) | |website=asxiq – all stats and no friction (asxiq.com) | ||
|type=blog | |type=blog | ||
| Line 485: | Line 444: | ||
[[Category:Friday the 13th| ]] | [[Category:Friday the 13th| ]] | ||
[[Category:Luck]] | [[Category:Luck]] | ||
[[Category:Superstitions of Europe]] | [[Category:Superstitions of Europe]] | ||
[[Category:Superstitions of the Americas]] | [[Category:Superstitions of the Americas]] | ||
[[Category:Unofficial observances]] | [[Category:Unofficial observances]] | ||
[[Category:Friday]] | |||
Latest revision as of 15:51, 23 March 2026
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. For a month to have a Friday the 13th, the first day of the month must be a Sunday.
Origins[edit | edit source]
Unluckiness of 13[edit | edit source]
One source mentioned for the unlucky reputation of the number 13 is a Norse myth about twelve gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. The trickster god Loki, who was not invited, arrived as the thirteenth guest, and arranged for Höðr, the god of darkness, to shoot Balder, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died, triggering much suffering in the world, which caused the number 13 to be considered unlucky.[1][2]
Christian associations[edit | edit source]
The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of Jesus's Last Supper and crucifixion in which there were thirteen individuals present in the Upper Room on the thirteenth of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday.[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2][5]
In conjunction with Friday[edit | edit source]
While there is evidence of both Friday[lower-alpha 3] and the number 13[6] being considered unlucky, there is no record of the two items being referred to as especially unlucky in conjunction before the 19th century.[7][8]
The Knights Templar[edit | edit source]
Some cite the arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307, by officers of King Philip IV of France as the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition, but it is agreed the origins remain murky.[9][unreliable source?]
19th century[edit | edit source]
In France, Friday 13th might have been associated with misfortune as early as the first half of the 19th century. A character in the 1834 play Les Finesses des Gribouilles states, "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813 from which come all of my misfortunes".[10]
An early documented reference in English occurs in H. S. Edwards' biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on Friday 13th of November 1868:
- "Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."[11]
Dissemination[edit | edit source]
It is possible that the publication in 1907 of T. W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth,[12] contributed to popularizing the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.[7]
Occurrence[edit | edit source]
Distribution[edit | edit source]
Each 400-year Gregorian solar cycle contains 146,097 days (with 97 leap days) or exactly 20,871 weeks. Each cycle contains the same pattern of days of the week and therefore the same pattern of Fridays that are on the 13th. The 13th day of the month is very slightly more likely to be a Friday than any other day of the week.[13][14][15]
Distribution of the 13th day per weekday over 4,800 months (400 years) Day of the week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Occurrences 685 685 687 684 688 684 687
Any month that starts on a Sunday contains a Friday the 13th, and there is at least one Friday the 13th in every calendar year. The months with a Friday the 13th are determined by the Dominical letter (G, F, GF, etc.) of the year. Years which begin on the same day of the week and are of the same type (i.e. common year or leap year), will have a Friday the 13th in the same months.
This sequence, given here for 1900–2099, follows a 28-year cycle from 1 March 1900 to 28 February 2100:
| Years during which a Friday the 13th occurs in the month to the right (current and subsequent year are marked in bold) |
Month with its 13th on a Friday |
Year length and weekday of January the 1st |
Year's dominical letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20th-century: 1905, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1933, 1939, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1967, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1995; 21st-century: 2006, 2012, 2017, 2023, 2034, 2040, 2045, 2051, 2062, 2068, 2073, 2079, 2090, 2096 |
January | 365: Sunday 366: Sunday |
A AG |
| 20th-century: 1903, 1914, 1920, 1925, 1931, 1942, 1948, 1953, 1959, 1970, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1998; 21st-century: 2004, 2009, 2015, 2026, 2032, 2037, 2043, 2054, 2060, 2065, 2071, 2082, 2088, 2093, 2099 |
February | 365: Thursday 366: Thursday |
D DC |
| 20th-century: 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992; 1998; 21st-century: 2009, 2015, 2020, 2026, 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 |
March | 365: Thursday 366: Wednesday |
D ED |
| 20th-century: 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984; 1990; 21st-century: 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 |
April | 365: Monday 366: Sunday |
G AG |
| 20th-century: 1904, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1932, 1938, 1949, 1955, 1960, 1966, 1977, 1983, 1988, 1994; 21st-century: 2005, 2011, 2016, 2022, 2033, 2039, 2044, 2050, 2061, 2067, 2072, 2078, 2089, 2095 |
May | 365: Saturday 366: Friday |
B CB |
| 20th-century: 1902, 1913, 1919, 1924, 1930, 1941, 1947, 1952, 1958, 1969, 1975, 1980, 1986, 1997; 21st-century: 2003, 2008, 2014, 2025, 2031, 2036, 2042, 2053, 2059, 2064, 2070, 2081, 2087, 2092, 2098 |
June | 365: Wednesday 366: Tuesday |
E FE |
| 20th-century: 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923, 1928, 1934, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1962, 1973, 1979, 1984, 1990; 21st-century: 2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2029, 2035, 2040, 2046, 2057, 2063, 2068, 2074, 2085, 2091, 2096 |
July | 365: Monday 366: Sunday |
G AG |
| 20th-century: 1909, 1915, 1920, 1926, 1937, 1943, 1948, 1954, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1982, 1993, 1999; 21st-century: 2004, 2010, 2021, 2027, 2032, 2038, 2049, 2055, 2060, 2066, 2077, 2083, 2088, 2094, 2100 |
August | 365: Friday 366: Thursday |
C DC |
| 20th-century: 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996; 21st-century: 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 |
September | 365: Tuesday 366: Monday |
F GF |
| 20th-century: 1905, 1911, 1916, 1922, 1933, 1939, 1944, 1950, 1961, 1967, 1972, 1978, 1989, 1995, 2000; 21st-century: 2006, 2017, 2023, 2028, 2034, 2045, 2051, 2056, 2062, 2073, 2079, 2084, 2090 |
October | 365: Sunday 366: Saturday |
A BA |
| 20th-century: 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1953, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998; 21st-century: 2009, 2015, 2020, 2026, 2037, 2043, 2048, 2054, 2065, 2071, 2076, 2082, 2093, 2099 |
November | 365: Thursday 366: Wednesday |
D ED |
| 20th-century: 1901, 1907, 1912, 1918, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1946, 1957, 1963, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1996; 21st-century: 2002, 2013, 2019, 2024, 2030, 2041, 2047, 2052, 2058, 2069, 2075, 2080, 2086, 2097 |
December | 365: Tuesday 366: Monday |
F GF |
Frequency[edit | edit source]
Although there is always at least one Friday the 13th per calendar year, it can be as long as 14 months between two Friday the 13ths.[16] The longest period that occurs without a Friday the 13th is 14 months, either from July to September the following year being a common year starting on Tuesday (F) (e.g. 2018–19 and 2029-30), or from August to October the following year being a leap year starting on Saturday (BA) (e.g. 1999–2000 and 2027–28). The shortest period that occurs with a Friday the 13th is just one month, from February to March in a common year starting on Thursday (D) (e.g. 2026 and 2037).
On average, there is a Friday the 13th once every 212.35 days. Friday the 13ths occurs with an average frequency of 1.7218 per year or about 3477 since the year 1 CE.
Frequency within a single year[edit | edit source]
There can be no more than three Friday the 13ths in a single calendar year; either in February, March, and November in a common year starting on Thursday (such as 2026 or 2037) (D), or January, April, and July in a leap year starting on Sunday (such as 2012 or 2040) (AG).[17]
In the 2000s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2009, and two Friday the 13ths in 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2007. In the 2010s, there were three Friday the 13ths in 2012 and 2015, and two in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2019.[18] In the 2020s, there were two Friday the 13ths in 2020, 2023 and 2024, as will be for 2029. There will also be three Friday the 13ths in 2026.[18] The remaining years all have one Friday the 13th.[18]
For the details see the table below; this table is for the Gregorian calendar and Jan/Feb for leap years:
Year
modulo 281600 2000 1700 2100 1800 2200 1900 2300 Year
modulo 2800 06 17 23 Jan Oct Feb Aug Jun Jan Apr Jul 00 06 17 23 01 07 12 18 Jan Apr Jul May Feb Mar Nov Sep Dec 01 07 12 18 02 13 19 24 Sep Dec Jan Oct Feb Aug Jun 02 13 19 24 03 08 14 25 Jun Jan Apr Jul May Feb Mar Nov 03 08 14 25 09 15 20 26 Feb Mar Nov Sep Dec Jan Oct Feb Aug 09 15 20 26 04 10 21 27 Feb Aug Jun Jan Apr Jul May 04 10 21 27 05 11 16 22 May Feb Mar Nov Sep Dec Jan Oct 05 11 16 22
Social influence[edit | edit source]
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17–21 million people in the United States are affected by paraskavedekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th, making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. It has been estimated that US$ 800–900 million is lost in business on this day.[19] Despite this, representatives for both Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines (the latter now merged into United Airlines) have stated that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.[20]
In Finland, a consortium of governmental and nongovernmental organizations led by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health promotes the National Accident Day (kansallinen tapaturmapäivä) to raise awareness about automotive safety, which always falls on a Friday the 13th.[21] The event is coordinated by the Finnish Red Cross and has been held since 1995.[22]
Rate of accidents[edit | edit source]
A study by Scanlon, Luben, Scanlon, & Singleton (1993)[23] attracted attention from popular science literature,[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] as it concluded that "the risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent on the 13th";[23](p1584) however, the authors clearly state that "the numbers of admissions from accidents are too small to allow meaningful analysis".[23](p1586) Subsequent studies have disproved any correlation between Friday the 13th and the rate of accidents.[26][27]
On 12 June 2008 the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated to the contrary, that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500."[28][29]
Tattoo Holiday[edit | edit source]
In recent years, Friday the 13th has emerged as a holiday for tattoo parlors and enthusiasts; with many shops running for 24 hours, and offering flash tattoos featuring the number 13 in the design.[30] Some claim that having a number 13 tattoo can be an antidote to bad luck. According to Oliver Peck: "Bad luck would come your way, it would see the number 13, see that bad luck is already there, and it would pass on by."[31]
Similar dates[edit | edit source]
Similar dates are prevalent in many cultures, although it is unclear whether these similarities are in any way historically connected or only coincidental.
Tuesday the 13th in Hispanic and Greek culture[edit | edit source]
In Hispanic countries, instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck.[32]
The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day.[33] Tuesday is considered dominated by the influence of Ares, the god of war (or Mars, the Roman equivalent). The fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade occurred on Tuesday 13 April 1204, and the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans happened on Tuesday 29 May 1453, events that strengthen the superstition about Tuesday. In addition, in Greek the name of the day is Triti (Τρίτη) meaning the third (day of the week), adding weight to the superstition, since bad luck is said to "come in threes".[33]
There is a Tuesday the 13th in months that begin on a Thursday.
Friday the 17th in Italy[edit | edit source]
In Italian popular culture, Friday the 17th (and not the 13th) is considered a bad luck day.[34] The origin of this belief could be traced in the writing of the number 17, in Roman numerals: XVII. By shuffling the digits of the number one can get the Latin vīxī ("I have lived", implying death at present), an omen of bad luck.[35] In fact, in Italy, 13 is generally considered a lucky number,[36] although some people may consider 13 an unlucky number as well due to Americanization.
The 2000 parody film Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth was released in Italy with the title Shriek – Hai impegni per venerdì 17? ("Shriek – Do You Have Something to Do on Friday the 17th?").[citation needed]
There is a Friday the 17th in months that begin on a Wednesday.
See also[edit | edit source]
- 13 (number)
- Ides of March
- List of bad luck signs
- Solar cycle (calendar)
- St. Brice's Day massacre
- Triskaidekaphobia
- Tycho Brahe days
Footnotes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ There were 13 people at the table (at the Last Supper) and the 13th was Jesus. The Last Supper was on a Thursday, and the next day was Friday, the day of crucifixion. When '13' and Friday come together, it's a double whammy.[3]
- ↑ In Christian tradition, fear of Friday the 13th stems from the day of the Crucifixion (Friday) and the number at the [table at the] Last Supper (13 [men]). Despite these origins, the Friday the 13th superstition dates back only to the Middle Ages.[4]
- ↑ Friday has been considered an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects at least since the 14th century, as witnessed by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Opie, Iona; Tatem, Moira (2003). "FRIDAY an unlucky day". A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford Reference. ISBN 9780192829160.
- ↑ For starters, a 1993 study published in the British Medical Journal indicates otherwise: Researchers analyzed the traffic flow and number of injuries from car accidents on the southern section of London's M25 motorway during the five months that the 13th fell on a Friday between 1990 and 1992. They compared these numbers to data collected on Friday the 6th of the same months, and found that although there are consistently fewer vehicles on the road during the 13th – possibly as a result of superstitious people choosing not to drive that day, the researchers proposed – "the risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent" on the 13th.[24]
- ↑ The study compared hospital admissions for traffic accidents on a Friday the 13th with those on a Friday the 6th in a community outside London. Despite a lower highway traffic volume on the 13th than on the 6th, admissions for traffic accident victims increased 52 percent on the 13th.[25]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Roach, John (14 May 2011). "Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019.
- ↑ Hutchinson, Sean (13 July 2018). "Why is Friday the 13th Considered Unlucky?". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018.
- ↑ Della Contrada, John (9 February 2004). "Fear of "Friday the 13th may likely have originated from Jesus' last supper and crucifixion", says U.B. anthropologist". Buffalo, NY: U. Buffalo / SUNY. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
- ↑ Hartston, Willam (2007). Encyclopedia of Useless Information. Sourcebooks, Inc. p. 365. ISBN 978-1402248382.
- ↑ Vyse, Stuart (13 October 2017). "Why we fear Friday the 13th". CNN. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ↑ Opie, Iona; Tatem, Moira (2003). "THIRTEEN unlucky number". A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford Reference. ISBN 9780192829160.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lachenmeyer, Nathaniel (2004). "5". 13: The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. ISBN 9780452284968.
- ↑ Clar, Mimi (1957). "Friday the 13th". Western Folklore. 16 (1): 62–63. doi:10.2307/1497075. JSTOR 1497075.
- ↑ "Friday the 13th - Origins, History & Superstition". HISTORY. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
- ↑ Hall, Stephanie (12 January 2017). "Who's Afraid of Friday the Thirteenth? | Folklife Today". Archived from the original on 18 August 2025.
- ↑ Edwards, H. S. (1869). The Life of Rossini. Blackett. p. 340.
- ↑
Lawson, Thomas W. (February 1907). Friday, the Thirteenth (1st ed.). Retrieved 13 May 2011 – via Gutenberg.org.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Bodin, Magnus (13 November 1998). "About the date+day distribution along the epoch". x42. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
- ↑ Brown, B.H. & Robinson, Raphael (1933). "Solution to problem E36". American Mathematical Monthly. 40 (10): 607. doi:10.2307/2301694. JSTOR 2301694.
- ↑ Meeus, J. (2007). Mathematical Astronomy Morsels IV. p. 367.
- ↑ Golomb, Solomon (September 2007). "Solutions to 'Calendar oddities'". Golomb's Gambits. Johns Hopkins Magazine. Vol. 59, no. 4.
- ↑ Kher, Aparna. "13 Facts about Friday the 13th". Time and Date (timeanddate.com). Archived from the original on 7 February 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Months and years having Friday the 13th". Time and Date (timeanddate.com). Archived from the original on 12 February 2026.
- ↑ Roach, John (12 August 2004). "Friday the 13th phobia rooted in ancient history". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
- ↑
Sens, Josh (January–February 2004). "Friday the 13th: Lucky or unlucky". Via Magazine. American Automobile Association. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia?
- ↑ "Tapaturmapäivä 13.9.2013: erityisteemana työpaikkojen turvallisuustyö" [Accident day 13 Sep 2013: Special workplace safety work]. tyosuojelu.fi (in suomi). 27 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
- ↑ Tikkanen, Tiina (30 March 2016). "Mikä on Tapaturmapäivä?". www.kotitapaturma.fi (in suomi). Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Scanlon, T.J.; Luben, R.N.; Scanlon, F.L.; Singleton, N. (18 December 1993). "Is Friday the 13th bad for your health?". British Medical Journal. 307 (6919): 1584–1586. doi:10.1136/bmj.307.6919.1584. ISSN 0959-8138. PMC 1697765. PMID 8292946.
- ↑ Melina, Remy (13 January 2012). "Statistically speaking, is Friday the 13th really unlucky?". Live Science. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ↑ Gawande, A. (20 March 1998). "When a full moon and a lunar eclipse collide with Friday the 13th, do more accidents really happen?". Slate. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ↑ Lo, Bruce M.; Visintainer, Catherine M.; Best, Heidi A.; Beydoun, Hind A. (July 2012). "Answering the myth: Use of emergency services on Friday the 13th". The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 30 (6): 886–889. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2011.06.008. PMID 21855260.
- ↑ Schuld, Jochen; Slotta, Jan E.; Schuld, Simone; Kollmar, Otto; Schilling, Martin K.; Richter, Sven (1 September 2011). "Popular belief meets surgical reality: Impact of Lunar phases, Friday the 13th, and Zodiac signs on emergency operations and intraoperative blood loss". World Journal of Surgery. 35 (9): 1945–1949. doi:10.1007/s00268-011-1166-8. ISSN 0364-2313. PMID 21713579. S2CID 23787395.
- ↑ "Friday 13th is no longer unlucky". Mirror (mirror.co.uk). Daily Mirror. 13 June 2008 [13 Jun 2008]. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018.
- ↑ van der Struik, Tineke (13 June 2008). Evans, Catherine (ed.). "Friday 13th not more unlucky, Dutch study shows". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008.
- ↑ Weiler, Lauren (13 July 2018). "How 1 Famous Tattoo Artist Started the Ritual of $13 Tattoos on Friday the 13th". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ↑ Grimm, Beca (13 October 2017). "How Friday the 13th Became Black Friday for Tattoos". Vice News. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ↑ Falcón, Rafael; Falcón, Christine Yoder (1998). Salsa: A taste of Hispanic culture. Praeger. p. 64. ISBN 0-275-96121-4 – via Google Books.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Chrysopoulos, Philip (13 October 2015). "Why superstitious Greeks fear Tuesday the 13th". Greek Reporter. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ↑ Grande, Carlo (17 February 2012). "Venerdì 17 porta davvero sfortuna?". La Stampa (in italiano). Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ↑ Harris, Nick (15 November 2007). "Bad omen for Italy as their unlucky number comes up". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 January 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ↑ "Venerdì 13 porta (s)fortuna? Non in Italia". cafebabel.com (in italiano). Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Sens, Josh (January–February 2004). "Friday the 13th: Lucky or unlucky". Via Magazine. American Automobile Association. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
When the 13th of the month falls on a Friday, do you join the 21 million Americans who suffer paraskevidekatriaphobia?
- "13 years of Friday the 13th!". Robslink.com. — multi-year calendar with Fri 13s marked
- Williams, Larry (13 August 2010). "Friday the 13th". dailyspeculations.com. — article examines S&P 500 index performance on Fri 13s
- asxiq (12 January 2012). "Friday the 13th performance on "All Ords" index". asxiq – all stats and no friction (asxiq.com) (blog). Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
PS: For those suffering from friggatriskaidekaphobia, hey, tomorrow is Saturday.
— examines All Ordinaries Index ("All Ords") for 1 Jan 1985 – 12 Jan 1985