Triskaidekaphobia | Fear of Friday the Thirteenth

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It's Friday the Thirteenth, the day not to do anything. Bad luck, supposedly, is to haunt everyone all day long. Movies with a bullied anti-social character named Jason have added to the fear of the dreaded day. My real name is Jason. I have a hockey mask, and a machete. Just kidding, I don't like hockey (I don't hate it, but I don't like it) and have no use for a machete.

Triskaidekaphobia is defined as "extreme superstition regarding the number thirteen." Over the years it has become synonymous with fear of the day. But in truth, it's just the number thirteen. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is fear of Friday the Thirteenth.

The fear itself is said to have many origins, but I will just stick to the big ones. First, Hammurabi is said to have omitted the thirteenth law from his code of ethics. This unspoken code is said to have been bad luck. Considering the harshness of the punishment in the code (ie. If a man is caught stealing, take him down to the river, tie him up, and throw him in. If he drowns, the victims can take ownership of his family and property. If he swims, the he does the reverse) it had to be pretty bad.

Another is the Judas Theory. Jesus was the thirteenth person to sit down at the Last Supper. Judas was the thirteenth apostle, and he betrayed Jesus first. The supper was on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday. So in keeping with this theory, the number thirteen became bad.

Buildings don't have a thirteenth floor, it's either vacant, or it's skipped. This is all just superstition, of course. A story from a novel written in 1907 by Thomas Lawson called "Friday the Thirteenth." Nothing is going to happen to you that wouldn't happen any other day under those same circumstances.

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In Spanish-Speaking countries and Greek superstition, if the thirteenth falls on a Tuesday, then it is considered bad luck since the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade happened on Tuesday, April 13, 1204.

In Italy the bad luck day is Friday the 17th because the Roman numeral XVII (17) can be manipulated to show VIXI meaning "I have lived." Italians see 13 as a Lucky number.

Some lucky things have happen that involve the number 13. Athletes where the number 13. Portugal had their best #WorldCup finish ever (3rd place) when striker, Eusebio wore the number 13 and scored 9 goals winning the Golden Boot in 1966.

So on this Friday the Thirteenth, let's not panic and lynch all Jason's. Instead embrace pop culture and celebrate the day. Happy Friday the Thirteenth!