Friggatriskaidekaphobia is the name given to a phobia of Friday 13th,
a superstition that has existed for hundreds of years in virtually every corner of the world.
Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on a Friday, which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year. Any month's 13th day will fall on a Friday if the month starts on a Sunday.
A theory by author Charles Panati, one of the leading authorities on the subject of "Origins," maintains that the superstition can be traced back to ancient myth:
The actual origin of the superstition, though, appears also to be a tale in Norse mythology. Friday is named for Frigga, the free-spirited goddess of love and fertility. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil — a gathering of thirteen — and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. For many centuries in Scandinavia, Friday was known as "Witches' Sabbath."Another theory about the origin of this superstition traces to the arrest of the legendary Knights Templar. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th)
If there's one day you don't want to walk under ladders, break any mirrors, or run afoul of any hockey-mask-wearing lunatics, it's Friday the 13th. The day, which occurs one to three times every year, is synonymous with bad luck, and folks on the Web are eager to know how it got such a scary reputation.
The urban legend experts at Snopes.com offer several theories on why Friday the 13th is so feared. The site writes that "some of the more common theories link it to a significant event in the Christian tradition said to have taken place on Friday." The big examples include the crucifixion and Eve offering the apple to Adam in the Garden of Eden.
And then there's the number 13. Many buildings don't have a 13th floor; some airplanes don't have a 13th row. Clearly, many people are a bit worried about encountering the unlucky number in their daily routines. According to About.com's urban legend expert, the aversion to all things 13 may have begun when early humans were learning to count. "Primitive man had only his 10 fingers and two feet to represent units," this explanation goes, "so he could count no higher than 12. What lay beyond that — 13 — was an impenetrable mystery to our prehistoric forbearers, hence an object of superstition."
Another theory: Thirteen became feared because it represented femininity. Some believe priests vilified the number because it "corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year." That number was "revered in prehistoric goddess-worshipping cultures."
A 2001 column on Yahoo! cites UselessKnowledge.com with yet another theory. The "superstition stems from the events that took place on Friday, October 13, 1307. On that day, the pope of the Roman Catholic Church, in combination with the king of France, sentenced the Knights Templar to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion of their leader."
So many superstitions, so little evidence! To many, Friday is considered a day to be extra cautious, because bad things may happen with a bit more frequency as the work week winds down. And to others, the number 13 is incredibly unlucky for any number of perceived reasons. Combine the unlucky day of the week with the unlucky number, and you get a day that makes even the otherwise nonsuperstitious run for cover.
And really, it's not only the superstitious people who place credence in these theories. There was even a 1993 study published in the British Medical Journal on whether Friday the 13th is bad for one's health. About.com tracked down the study, which concludes with an ominous endnote: "Friday the 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent. Staying at home is recommended."
Rate of accidents
There are conflicting studies about the risk of accidents on Friday the 13th. The Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) on June 12, 2008, stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500.However, a 1993 study in the British Medical Journal that compared the ratio of traffic accidents between Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th stated that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Friday the 13th. There are indications that there are more accidents on Fridays than average weekdays (irrespective of the date) probably because of alcohol consumption. Therefore it is less relevant for this purpose to compare Friday the 13th with any other 13th day of another month.
Nike Dunk High SB Custom Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees $129.99 (sale $89.99)
Death's Wine - to be open Friday 13th
(Boticas,Portalegre,Portugal)
No comments:
Post a Comment