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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
Spooky season gets extra scary with the 13th of September falling on an unlucky Friday this year.
Although the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday one to three times a year, and already occurred in January of this year, fear of Friday of the 13th in October has been amplified in the past by a number of factors, including the Friday the 13th slasher movies. However, superstitions revolving around the spooky date have actually been around for centuries.
The number 13’s history of discord can be traced back to the Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. When Loki - the trickster god who was not invited - showed up as the 13th guest, he exacted his revenge by enlisting Höðr, the god of winter and darkness, to shoot the god of war, Balder, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.
The union of day and date has also been traced back to King Philip IV of France arresting hundreds of Knights Templar on Friday 13 October 1307.
The Catholic crusaders were apprehended under pressure from Pope Clement V over allegations that new recruits to the order were being forced to spit on the cross, deny Christ and engage in homosexual acts during initiation ceremonies.
The claims, seemingly entirely without foundation, were a convenient pretext for Philip to persecute the wealthy order and waive debts he owed them following war with England. Charged with moral and financial corruption and worshipping false idols, often following confessions obtained under torture, many of the knights were later burnt at the stake in Paris.
Friday the 13th’s unluckiness also has biblical origins, according to Dr Phil Stevens, a retired anthropology professor from SUNY at Buffalo. The professor cited the Last Supper, which occurred on a Thursday evening and 13 people including Jesus Christ feasted at the table. Because Christ was betrayed by Judas and crucified on Good Friday, historians like Dr Stevens believe that Friday the 13th embodies misfortune.
Dr Stevens explained to USA Today: “Friday, the 13th you get a double whammy. You get both of these elements coming together: the taboo against 13, and the crucifixion, which was on a Friday.”
For centuries, people have held superstitions regarding Friday 13th, such as avoiding black cats, cracks on the sidewalk, or throwing a pinch of salt over your shoulder.
The superstitions revolving around black cats date back to the Middle Ages, when the felines were reportedly associated with witchcraft. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX issued a papal bull called “Vox in Rama,” in which the church declared that black cats were a vessel of the devil. According to historians, black cats were often used as a tool to discredit those threatening the church’s power and legitimacy, often labelling them witches or heretics.
Meanwhile, cracks on the sidewalk don’t have a history of satanic panic, but rather are believed to incur the wrath of the spirits of the dead if stepped on. According to early European and American folklore, cracks - whether in sidewalks, walls, floors, or soil - indicated rifts between Earth and the metaphysical realm. No matter how small they may be, if you were to step on these cracks no matter how narrow, you could allegedly bring about misfortune to you or your family.
Throwing a pinch of salt over your shoulder can allegedly ward off evil spirits you might’ve angered, according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition.
Behavioural scientist, Jane Risen, found that ancient superstitions such as avoiding black cats and sidewalk cracks can even affect skeptics and nonbelievers alike.
“Even if I don’t actively believe, just that fact that Friday the 13th exists as a known cultural element means that I entertain it as a possibility,” Risen explained to National Geographic. “That adds a bit more fuel to this intuition, makes it feel a bit more true, even when you recognise that it’s not true.”
She added: “We find that people who jinx themselves don’t think the bad outcome is especially likely if they knock down on wood. So, the ritual does seem to help manage their concern.”
