The fears that lurk behind Friday 13th (From Bucks Free Press)

The fears that lurk behind Friday 13th

3:10pm Friday 13th July 2012 in News

TODAY is a bad day to be superstitious in Bucks – Friday the 13th has rolled around once again and here reporter Sam Goold Knibbs looks at the background of the fateful day…

QUICK! Draw your curtains, lock your doors, turn your phone off, and seek refuge under your bed sheets- Friday the 13th is here.

The most unlucky day of the year has already haunted Western culture twice in 2012, but for people who suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobia (the fear of Friday the 13th) the horror has returned.

A little bit of history

So where did this phobia actually come from? Why is Friday the 13th frowned upon as the unluckiest day of the year?

Firstly, the number 13 has been unlucky for centuries. Historians have dated back the infatuation with the number 13 to the Last Supper due to the number of people that attended it. If you haven’t noticed most skyscrapers don’t have 13 floors, airports don’t have the number 13 gate and hospitals don’t have a number 13 room – bit of a coincidence.

You can even go back further from a pagan myth about 12 Gods attending a dinner in Valhalla, in walks an uninvited guest, who kills one of the Gods; but let’s not get carried away.

Secondly, Friday has got its own stigma around it. Some say the bad reputation that Friday got was in the Garden of Eden when Eve tempted Adam, and we all know what happened with that story. Some say that the great flood happened on a Friday, and that Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday. The Roman’s didn’t help as they named Friday execution day.

Friday the 13th can also be attributed to Friday, October 13, 1307 when the Knights Templar were deceived by the King of France, Prince Phillip the IV, and arrested and interrogated for heresy. All this added together doesn’t make good reading for Friday the 13th .The fear of Friday the 13th still persists today.

Things to remember

Are you worried now? Me too; here are some of the myths that are circulating around, but remember these are just myths, so there is no need for us to hide behind the sofa.

1. Never change your bed on Friday- it will bring bad dreams.

2. .Don't start a trip on a Friday or you will encounter misfortune.

3. If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, there’s a chance it could be a bad hair day.

4. A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.

Are we feeling reassured? I am. I’m not superstitious; I think it’s bad luck.

If you have any stories or can think of anymore dont's about Friday the 13th please post them below.

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