Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western
superstition. The
origin of fears surrounding Friday the 13th is unclear. The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in
Henry Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on a Friday 13th. One theory states that it is a modern mixture
of two older
superstitions: that 13 is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.
Strikingly
similar folkloric aspects of the number 13 have been noted in various cultures
around the World. One theory is that
this is due to the cultures employing lunar-solar calendars. A year with 13 full moons instead of 12 posed
problems for the monks in charge of the calendars. It was considered a very unfortunate
circumstance, especially by the monks who had charge of the calendar of
thirteen months for that year and it upset the regular arrangement of church
festivals. For this reason, thirteen
came to be considered an unlucky number.
There has also been a longstanding myth that if 13
people dine together, one will die within a year. The myth comes from both the
Last Supper, when Jesus dined with the 12 Apostles prior to his death, and a
popular Norse myth, in which 11 close friends of the God Odin dine together
only to have the party crashed by a 13th person, Loki, the God of evil and
turmoil.
The
name Friday comes from the Old
English Frigedaeg, meaning the
'day of Frigg', a result of an old convention associating the Old English Goddess
Frigg with the Roman Goddess Venus, with whom the day is associated in many
different cultures. In some cultures,
Friday is considered unlucky. This is
particularly so in maritime circles; perhaps the most enduring sailing
superstition is that it is unlucky to begin a voyage on a Friday.
In
modern times, Friday the 13th is considered to be especially unlucky, due to
the conjunction of Friday with the unlucky number thirteen. The fear of Friday the 13th has been called friggatriskaidekaphobia - Frigga being the name of the Norse Goddess
for whom Friday is named in English and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the
number thirteen. It
is also sometimes called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek Paraskevi for
Friday, Dekatreis for thirteen, and phobia for fear.
In
1939, a small town in Indiana forced all black cats to wear bells on Friday,
October 13. When the measure seemed to
work (nothing bad happened), the town continued the practice for the next three
years.
Wall Street has fostered a fear of Friday the 13th
for decades. In October 13, 1989, Wall
Street saw, what was at the time, the second largest drop of the Dow Jones
Industrial Average in history. The day
was nicknamed the Friday the 13th mini-crash.
Friday the 13th was also discussed in the popular
2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code. In the
book, a connection is drawn between the slaughtering of the Knights Templar by
the Church and Friday the 13th.
The
next Friday the 13th will be in June 2014. It also comes with a full moon, which comes
with its own superstitions. The full
moon is associated with murders, suicides, mental illness, natural disasters,
accidents, birth rate, women fertility, witchcraft and werewolves.
The moon is a very important
object in many cultures. The moon’s
regular phases make it the focus of many of the oldest calendars. Tally sticks and bones date back around
30,000 years old and are believed to represent the waxing and waning of the
moon. It was said that witches spells
were performed in the nights with full moon, because that moon was believed to
bring a major influence on human body and mind.
Another old superstition, warned that women who stare at the full moon
or let its rays touch their bodies are exposed to the risk of become pregnant. Studies have found that police
officers and hospital workers are among the strongest believers in the notion
that more crime and trauma occur on nights when the moon is full. So during the full moon try to
avoid argues with neighbors, because such quarrels will cause you much trouble.
The Wiccan Esbats are traditionally tied to the
lunar cycles. Together with Sabbats,
they represent the most common celebrations in Wiccan. An Esbat is commonly understood to be a
ritual observance on the night of a full moon.
The Full Moon Esbat is used for banishing,
protection and divination workings, also planning, releasing and working with
time. It is during this time that the God becomes the strong
Father figure who cares for the Earth and all its creatures. The Father is the ripeness of
manhood and in his prime, a great leader.
The Sun Moon is June 13,
2014. The sun is at its strongest during
the Summer Solstice, a time when the day is the longest. It is also known as the Strawberry Moon
because of the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes each
year during the month of June. Plan a ritual to balance your spiritual and
physical desires.
Whether there is any merit to the superstitions
surrounding Friday the 13th and Full Moons will remain uncertain, but that will
not stop millions of people across the World from worrying about the unlucky
day. There are a number of popular myths
and superstitions surrounding the day, most famously:
- If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone
in your family will die
- If a funeral procession passes you on Friday
the 13th, you will be the next to die
- Do not start a trip on Friday or you will
encounter misfortune
- If you break a mirror on Friday the 13th, you
will have seven years of bad luck
- A child born on Friday the 13th will be
unlucky for life
- Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad
luck
- If you walk under a ladder or if a black cat
crosses you on Friday the 13th, you will have bad luck
- And stay away from men in hockey masks
Be Careful and
Good Luck!
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