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Why Is Friday the 13th Unlucky? History, Myths, and Facts

"Friday the 13th" in orange letters, next to a black cat with orange eyes
Image Credit:
Pixabay
Written By: Heidi Stonehill Executive Editor

It’s Friday the 13th—a date that instantly sparks superstition, suspense, and a little curiosity. But why does this day have such a spooky reputation? From ancient myths and historical events to pop culture and horror movies, Friday the 13th has long been linked to bad luck. Let’s explore where this fear came from and whether the day truly deserves its ominous status.

Friday the 13th is considered unlucky due to a blend of religious tradition, historical events, and folklore surrounding both Fridays and the number 13.

When is the Next Friday the 13th?

Year Friday the 13th Dates
2026Friday, February 13
Friday, March 13
Friday, November 13
2027Friday, August 13
2028Friday, October 13
2029Friday, April 13
Friday, July 13 

Friday the 13th Origins

Let’s look back at the origins of this ominous date. Although no one knows for certain, the fear of the number 13 and the fear of Friday likely combined around the late 1800s into this new phobia; no clear mention of it had been discussed in published works before then.

Norse Mythology

Do you know the story of Loki? At a dinner with 12 of the Norse gods, Loki was not invited. However, the troublemaker showed up, fighting ensued, and one of the most popular gods (Baldur) was killed that day.

Knights Templar

The predominant 20th-century theory suggests that the superstition around Friday the 13th stemmed from an event that occurred on Friday, October 13, 1307, when thousands belonging to an influential religious, military order called the Knights Templar (officially, the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon) were arrested for blasphemy and other affronts at the command of France’s king, Philip IV. Many were later tortured, coerced into making false confessions, and executed.

When the knights were burned at the stake in Paris, the order’s leader, Jacques de Molay, cried out, “God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon, a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death.” The holy warrior’s curse and wrongful death put a hex on Friday the 13th through the ages.

Image of the burning of the Knights Templar
The burning of the Templars 
Courtesy of: British Library/Robana/Rex

The Last Supper

Another superstition associates Friday the 13th with the Last Supper, attended by 13 people—Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples. The number 13 is associated with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ shortly after the Last Supper. Christ was handed to Roman soldiers the next morning and crucified on Good Friday.

the number 13

Fear of Friday the 13th

No matter how the phobia came about, superstitions concerning it still abound. On Friday the 13th, some people refuse to cut their hair or nails, dine out, buy a house, start a job, conduct business, marry, or participate in any event. Other folks are so terrorized that they fear even crawling out of bed or going anywhere on this day (including Winston Churchill, who considered traveling on Friday the 13th unlucky).

As you may be aware, quite a few of today’s skyscrapers and hotels don’t have 13th floors or a room 13. More than 60 million people worldwide have a phobia of Friday the 13th to varying degrees.

The fear of Friday the 13th is officially called friggatriskaidekaphobia. Frigga refers to the Norse god for which Friday is named, and triskaidekaphobia means fear of the number 13.

An alternate term for the anxiety is paraskevidekatriaphobia. Originating from Greek, paraskevi means Friday, dekatria refers to “thirteen,” and phobia translates as “fear.”

happy friday the 13th, still better than Mondays

It Isn’t All Bad…

Many of those who were born on Friday the 13th, or whose birthdays fall on the 13th and occasionally occur on a Friday, consider themselves immune to any negative repercussions.

In some countries, the day is considered normal or even lucky! In other countries, the ill-fated date is a different one! In Italy, it is Friday the 17th. In some Hispanic countries, Tuesday the 13th is the unlucky one. In fact, the title of the 1980 American horror film Friday the 13th (now a cult classic) was changed to Martes 13 (Tuesday the 13th) for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Jason, the infamous figure from the movie, Friday the 13th
Jason, the infamous figure from Friday the 13th!

Calendar Clues

There are 14 possible configurations for the annual calendar that determine how many Fridays the 13th will occur in the year.

  • 6 of 14 years have one Friday the 13th.
  • 6 of 14 years have two Fridays the 13th.
  • 2 of 14 years have three Fridays the 13th.
  • Months that have a Friday the 13th begin on a Sunday.
a black cat
Black cats get a bad rap!

Friday the 13th Fun Facts 

Sure, plenty of good things happened on Friday the 13th, but to someone with friggatriskaidekaphobia, that matters not!

  • The horror novelist Stephen King is a triskaidekaphobe. He’s also a friggatriskaidekaphobe.
  • Franklin Roosevelt had such an irrational fear of Friday the 13th that he would avoid traveling on Fridays.
  • Jack the Ripper claimed his final victim on Friday the 13th in 1888.

Did we miss any fun facts? Share with other readers below!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

    Friday the 13th combines two long-standing superstitions: Friday being an unlucky day and the number 13 being associated with misfortune. Over time, folklore, religion, and historical events blended these fears into one infamous date.

     

  • What is the origin of Friday the 13th?

    The superstition likely emerged in the late 1800s. Common explanations include Norse mythology, the arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307, and religious associations with the Last Supper.

     

  • What is the fear of Friday the 13th called?

    The fear is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Another term, paraskevidekatriaphobia, comes from Greek and also refers specifically to fear of Friday the 13th.

     

  • How often does Friday the 13th occur?

    Friday the 13th can happen one to three times in a single year, depending on how the calendar falls. Some years have none at all.

     

  • Is Friday the 13th unlucky everywhere?

    No. In some cultures, Friday the 13th is considered normal or even lucky. In Italy, Friday the 17th is seen as unlucky, while in many Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th carries the superstition.

     

  • Are there any good things about Friday the 13th?

    Absolutely! Many people are unfazed by the date—or even consider it lucky. Plenty of positive events and birthdays fall on Friday the 13th, proving it’s not all doom and gloom.

Holidays

About The Author

Heidi Stonehill

Heidi Stonehill

Executive Editor

Heidi Stonehill is the executive editor for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, where she focuses much of her time on managing content development for the Almanac’s line of calendars.

Read more from Heidi Stonehill

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Comments

<span>Norma Diulio</span> Fri, 07/13/2018 - 10:13
My Mom's Birthday would be today. M/y oldest daughter was born on November 13th and her first Birthday was on Friday the 13th. She got many nice things on her first Birthday. I once flew on an airplane from Buffalo, New York on Friday the 13th and my seat was #13 and we flew thru a thunder storm. So, this day had given me many blessings. A mom who I miss and love. A daughter I love and adore and a day to remember.
<span>Penny13</span> Sun, 10/15/2017 - 11:36
I was 13 years old on Friday the 13th. My oldest son was the 13th baby born at his hospital on Friday the 13th, when I was 2 times 13 years old. When my oldest was 13, and I was 3 times 13 I had my second son. It was not on the 13th, but he weighed 9 pounds 13 ounces, and was born at 9:13. In the year 2013, I was 5 times 13, my oldest was 3 times 13, and my youngest was 2 times 13. Needless to say, 13 is never bad luck in our family. Everywhere we turn the number 13 shows up and we are always excited.
<span>Ellen Murphy</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 16:39
Never had a big fear of the number 13.Not to get too biblical but Jesus and the 12 Apostles equal 13.Don't get me going on the number 6!That's also bible related.Hate the number 6.In 10 years Ill be in my 60s so already kind of freaking out about that and I was born on a 6.But okay with 13.
<span>Nick Evola</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 15:05
It is just another day in my life. Today I turned 78 years young. What a life, great. Good and bad luck is in your mind. Remember who died on Friday at 3 P M. J
<span>Thomas E. Phil…</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 12:55
We're coming up on 75th anniversary of one of the luckiest, at least in some ways, not so in others, Friday the 13th's in history: The Bloody Battle of Friday the 13th: November 13, 1942. On the island of Guadalcanal, a bloody, stubborn, seesaw stalemate had continued for some months, with America ruling the day from unsinkable Henderson Field and Japan ruling the night with the world's best torpedoes, but now both the United States and Japan were making a big push for final victory. America landed its troops first but 2 Japanese battleships were spotted heading for Guadalcanal to shell Henderson Field out of action, and Admiral Halsey didn't want to release the only 2 battleships he had from protecting the damaged but only operational aircraft carrier, Enterprise, he had, so it fell to cruisers and destroyers. Everyone knew it was going to be a suicide attack, and triskaidekaphobes were going crazy: early in the morning of Friday the 13th, the 5 cruisers and 8 destroyers (5+8=13) of Task Force 67 (6+7=13) were going to try to stop 2 battleships, with the 13th in line being the USS Fletcher, DD-445 (4+4+5=13). Exactly what happened on that moonless night is unclear to this day, but in general the 13 ships of Task Force 67 plowed into the utterly surprised Japanese for a 20 minute battle, at rock throwing range. The American fleet was shot and torpedoed to pieces, suffering twice the Japanese casualties, but they put something like 130 hits into the lead Japanese battleship, Hiei, leaving her an unsteerable, burning wreck, and a good target for the vultures of Henderson Field, upon which not a shot had fallen. The battle would take two more days and nights, including a battleship battle on the 14th-15th, but most of the credit for victory belongs to the desperate men of Task Force 67 (number since retired from active use) who despite all the odds and 13's against it, stopped a battleship with gunfire... at point blank range. Incidentally, the 5 Sullivan Brothers perished in this fight as their cruiser, Juneau, was torpedoed until her keel was broken that night and later that morning blown sky high by a Japanese submarine.
<span>Nina</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 10:21
Today is October 13, 2017 and it's "Friday". I turned 58 years old at 8:15am this morning and I have always considered Friday the 13th to be just like any other day. Except when it's my Birthday!!! :))
<span>Daphne</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 09:58
i got married on friday april 13 2012, on purpose. i love Friday the 13th, always have. my mom was born on the 13th and married my stepdad on the 13th, we both loved it when it fell on a friday. i am thrilled to know my next wedding anniversary will be a Friday the 13th!!!
<span>Randy Blackwell</span> Fri, 10/13/2017 - 08:57
I had a medical procedure on a Friday the 13th, and it was such fun. The doctor and I were telling jokes, what fun. It was a successful outpatient operation and ever since, I knew that Friday the 13th is not unluckier than any other day.
<span>Samantha</span> Fri, 10/06/2017 - 17:00
I've always thought it was lucky. For me, at least, something good always happens on Friday 13th. No, it's not my birthday. Mine is 9/11. No further comment!
<span>Jay Tucker</span> Thu, 10/17/2024 - 07:35
Can you say Jason Voorhees?