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Why Is Friday the 13th Unlucky? History, Myths, and Facts

"Friday the 13th" in orange letters, next to a black cat with orange eyes
Photo Credit
Pixabay

From Norse gods to horror movies, here’s why this day gets such a bad rap

Written By: Heidi Stonehill Executive Editor

It’s Friday the 13th—a date that instantly sparks superstition, suspense, and a little curiosity. But why does this day have such a spooky reputation? From ancient myths and historical events to pop culture and horror movies, Friday the 13th has long been linked to bad luck. Let’s explore where this fear came from and whether the day truly deserves its ominous status.

Friday the 13th is considered unlucky due to a blend of religious tradition, historical events, and folklore surrounding both Fridays and the number 13.

When is the Next Friday the 13th?

Year Friday the 13th Dates
2026Friday, February 13
Friday, March 13
Friday, November 13
2027Friday, August 13
2028Friday, October 13
2029Friday, April 13
Friday, July 13 

Friday the 13th Origins

Let’s look back at the origins of this ominous date. Although no one knows for certain, the fear of the number 13 and the fear of Friday likely combined around the late 1800s into this new phobia; no clear mention of it had been discussed in published works before then.

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Norse Mythology

Do you know the story of Loki? At a dinner with 12 of the Norse gods, Loki was not invited. However, the troublemaker showed up, fighting ensued, and one of the most popular gods (Baldur) was killed that day.

Knights Templar

The predominant 20th-century theory suggests that it stemmed from an event that occurred on Friday, October 13, 1307, when thousands belonging to an influential religious, military order called the Knights Templar (officially, the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon) were arrested for blasphemy and other affronts at the command of France’s king, Philip IV. Many were later tortured, coerced into making false confessions, and executed.

When the knights were burned at the stake in Paris, the order’s leader, Jacques de Molay, cried out, “God knows who is wrong and has sinned. Soon, a calamity will occur to those who have condemned us to death.” The holy warrior’s curse and wrongful death put a hex on Friday the 13th through the ages.

Image of the burning of the Knights Templar
The burning of the Templars 
Courtesy of: British Library/Robana/Rex

The Last Supper

Another superstition associates Friday the 13th with the Last Supper, attended by 13 people—Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples. The number 13 is associated with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ shortly after the Last Supper. Christ was handed to Roman soldiers the next morning and crucified on Good Friday.

the number 13

Fear of Friday the 13th

No matter how the phobia came about, superstitions concerning it still abound. On Friday the 13th, some people refuse to cut their hair or nails, dine out, buy a house, start a job, conduct business, marry, or participate in any event. Other folks are so terrorized that they fear even crawling out of bed or going anywhere on this day (including Winston Churchill, who considered traveling on Friday the 13th unlucky).

As you may be aware, quite a few of today’s skyscrapers and hotels don’t have 13th floors or a room 13. More than 60 million people worldwide have a phobia of Friday the 13th to varying degrees.

The fear of Friday the 13th is officially called friggatriskaidekaphobia. Frigga refers to the Norse god for which Friday is named, and triskaidekaphobia means fear of the number 13.

An alternate term for the anxiety is paraskevidekatriaphobia. Originating from Greek, paraskevi means Friday, dekatria refers to “thirteen,” and phobia translates as “fear.”

happy friday the 13th, still better than Mondays

It Isn’t All Bad…

Many of those who were born on Friday the 13th, or whose birthdays fall on the 13th and occasionally occur on a Friday, consider themselves immune to any negative repercussions.

In some countries, the day is considered normal or even lucky! In other countries, the ill-fated date is a different one! In Italy, it is Friday the 17th. In some Hispanic countries, Tuesday the 13th is the unlucky one. In fact, the title of the 1980 American horror film Friday the 13th (now a cult classic) was changed to Martes 13 (“Tuesday the 13th”) for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Jason, the infamous figure from the movie, Friday the 13th
Jason, the infamous figure from Friday the 13th!

Calendar Clues

There are 14 possible configurations for the annual calendar that determine how many Fridays the 13th will occur in the year.

  • 6 of 14 years have one Friday the 13th.
  • 6 of 14 years have two Fridays the 13th.
  • 2 of 14 years have three Fridays the 13th.
  • Months that have a Friday the 13th begin on a Sunday.
a black cat
Black cats get a bad rap!

Friday the 13th Fun Facts 

Sure, plenty of good things happened on Friday the 13th, but to someone with friggatriskaidekaphobia, that matters not!

  • The horror novelist Stephen King is a triskaidekaphobe. He’s also a friggatriskaidekaphobe.
  • Franklin Roosevelt had such an irrational fear of Friday the 13th that he would avoid traveling on Fridays.
  • Jack the Ripper claimed his final victim on Friday the 13th in 1888.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

Friday the 13th combines two long-standing superstitions: Friday being an unlucky day and the number 13 being associated with misfortune. Over time, folklore, religion, and historical events blended these fears into one infamous date.

What is the origin of Friday the 13th?

The superstition likely emerged in the late 1800s. Common explanations include Norse mythology, the arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307, and religious associations with the Last Supper.

What is the fear of Friday the 13th called?

The fear is known as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Another term, paraskevidekatriaphobia, comes from Greek and also refers specifically to fear of Friday the 13th.

How often does Friday the 13th occur?

Friday the 13th can happen one to three times in a single year, depending on how the calendar falls. Some years have none at all.

Is Friday the 13th unlucky everywhere?

No. In some cultures, Friday the 13th is considered normal or even lucky. In Italy, Friday the 17th is seen as unlucky, while in many Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th carries the superstition.

Are there any good things about Friday the 13th?

Absolutely! Many people are unfazed by the date—or even consider it lucky. Plenty of positive events and birthdays fall on Friday the 13th, proving it’s not all doom and gloom.

Did we miss any fun facts? Share with other readers below!

Holidays
About The Author
Heidi Stonehill

Heidi Stonehill

Executive Editor

Heidi Stonehill is the Executive Editor for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, joining the team in 2001. As such, she manages the content development of the Almanac’s line of wall, engagement, box, and special...
Read More from Heidi Stonehill

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Comments

<span>Rebecca Rose</span> Sat, 09/27/2025 - 09:37
I married my best friend and love of life on Friday, October 13.
<span>Christine Tasky</span> Fri, 06/13/2025 - 14:18
Was married on the 13th…lol
<span>Carolinagrammy</span> Fri, 06/13/2025 - 06:33
Well I think by now we all have started to learn that not everything we were taught is NOT truth, In fact, it’s probably just the opposite … Lucky for most and unlucky for the ones who have us trained to live in a world of fear.
<span>Erin</span> Fri, 12/13/2024 - 13:01
Jack the Ripper NEVER had a victim that he killed on a Friday the 13th.
<span>Scott Bailey</span> Fri, 09/13/2024 - 17:09
It’s “Knights Templar” not Knights of the Templar.
<span>Marina</span> Fri, 09/13/2024 - 16:33
At 14, had my braces taken off on Friday, the 13th. Always been a lucky day for me!
<span>Rabbit Hole</span> Sat, 03/09/2024 - 07:21
Hecate predates all the mentioned associations and has ties to Freya, mentioned by Sharon H-P in the comments. Born of two Titian, she would have a hue of blue. When the war between the Olympians and Titian broke out, she sided with Zeus. In ancient Rome Hecate was honored twice a year during the Ids of March, August and November 13th. Having difficulty finding information on other months. Should November 13th fall on a Friday it is a time of great power and celebration. Tasked with protecting man from poisonous plants, she was a botanist and would be known for carrying a memoir. This is one reason Hecate is whispered, the uninitiated could make a mistake. It is also a basis to associate her to Hecet, the ancient Egyptian frog god, as they both were known to practice Pharmakia. Here is where we should know certain Sanskrit terms: Phar~ to write, Kia~ sex, Gyp~ to wonder or wanderer. The spelling of witch and prostitute are very similar in Sanskrit, not an expert here it's just obvious. Frogs are associated with lily pads, aka family Nymphaeaceae, genus Nymphaea. Ancient Egyptians would use Blue Lotus as an aphrodisiac, and later the herb would become so popular in ancient Rome as to harvest it into extinction. Ever wonder where nyphomaniac originated? When Egyptian mummies were tested for nicotine, the levels were too high to be accounted for by the local Belladonna. When we look at the river confluences of the Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee rivers we notice towns and cities with the same names as those found in the Nile delta. On the tip of IL, Cairo. Down river Memphis, TN, were an area to the south had the same flood attributes as the Nile delta. Numerous other places can be seen on G-earth, including Luxor. Back to Hekate, goddess of Pharmakia and Witchcraft, guardian of crossroads. Cronus was her counter part as X-roads guardian, known for sporting a Corona. Having had a tumultuous relationship with Poseidon, we get the term poison. Ancient tombstones, many sailors, had her religious symbolism carved, a skull over crossed bones and a turning hourglass. Like sailors, to be poisoned meant, you didn't know if or when you would return/recover. This would make her religious symbol the most reproduced in the world. Art work often depicts her carrying a torch as she lead Demeter to the underworld to find Percepheny. Followers are known to put statues of her likeness at major X-roads, such as Liberty island in NY harbor. Hex may have originated from the name Hecate. Aphrodite developed contempt for Hecate when she gave Utopia her pithos. Pandora's Pithos (box, cosmetics case), is a fable about the detriments to expect when giving agency to those who deceive. The modern telling is a lie itself. The 'hope' left behind is unfulfilled expectations. Zeus commanded Hermes to "Teach Pandora to deceive" and said of his wedding gift, "No man should gaze upon the contents of this pithos." Completely different than do not open. Pandora means 'All giving', yet produces nothing, which makes one wonder if she is a depiction of a typical politician/State agent. To wrap things up, here are some events that correlate to Aug&Nov 13th as her practitioners are known for preparing a few days in advance. First we have the Knights Templar, as October was the eighth month of the ten month Roman calendar. 1307, two numbers associated with luck. August is the modern eighth month of the year. In 2023 several hundred children never returned from school in Lahaina, after the Maui fires. In 2022 actrix Anne Heche sitting up in a gurney, after her car plowed into a house, was making the internet buzz. Nov of that same year, early morning hours of the 13th, the evisceration of four Idaho students made headlines. The last time Friday the 13th occurred in Nov, GOP lawyers forfeited the AZ vote count in a court of record to loose the 2020 presidential election.
<span>Ellen Stone</span> Fri, 06/13/2025 - 14:51
I enjoyed your comment more than the article! Hecet is one of my allies in my herbal and energy healing practice. Much gratitude!
<span>Laura</span> Fri, 10/13/2023 - 22:58
Lucky for many: a baker’s dozen is a dozen with an extra baked good thrown in.
<span>Alan</span> Fri, 06/13/2025 - 09:14
I believe this comes from the baking of cookies. The reason I say this is for even baking bakers will put cookies on a tray from left to right starting with a row of three followed by a row of two then three again then two ending with a row of three and this equals 13. Have a great day today, friday June 13th 2025, by satisfying that sweet tooth.