Friday the 13th: Are You Superstitious?

It's your unlucky day.

Friday the 13th is here, and for some that means a day of bad luck and strange superstitions. An estimated 17 million to 21 million people are afraid of this day, making it one of the most feared days in history.

If you find yourself having a panic attack on Friday the 13th, you may suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia (the fear of Friday the 13th) or triskaidekaphobia (the fear of the number 13). 

So why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? Here are some postulations:

1. Twelve is considered the "number of completeness" — considering the 12 months of the year, 12 hours of the clock, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 Tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles of Jesus, and so on. Thus, 13 is considered an irregular number.
2. Friday has been considered unlucky dating all the way back to the 14th century's "The Canterbury Tales". 
3. The first written reference to Friday the 13th is in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, which is the day Rossini died.
4. On Friday, October 13, 1307 the Knights of Templar were arrested in France. The knights were considered the most skilled fighters in the Crusades. When they were arrested many were tortured and burned at the stake.
5. In Nordic mythology, most of their 13th gods faced violent deaths, including Loki the "trickster." 

If you do fear Friday the 13th, you're not alone. 

According to Smithsonian Magazine, “fear of the #13 costs American a billion dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations, and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month.”

In addition, several hotels and hospitals do not have a room 13. Some airports even omit the 13th gate.

Don't worry though. Today is the last Friday the 13th of 2012. 

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