Paraskevidekatriaphobics

I was just reading Christa's blog and it got me thinking about the origins of this "unlucky" day, Friday the 13th.

I decided to research a little bit. It's amazing how much information there is available on the internet regarding this topic.

First of all, I have discovered a new (and impossible to pronounce) word:
Paraskevidekatriaphobics — people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.

The number 13 seems to have affected us in numerous ways over the years:

• Apartment buildings do not name the 13th floor as such
• Hospitals do not have a 13th operating room
• Times tables in elementary school do not continue past 12 x 12
• A name consisting of 13 letters is considered unlucky (for instance, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy)
• Many cities do no have a 13th avenue or 13th street
• There are 13 witches in a coven
• Fishermen say: "A Friday's sail, always fail"

There are several explanations that I have read about the origins of this day:

• Something to do with Philip "the beautiful" who was King of France at the turn of the 14th Century. He sent out a letter, a death warrant against the Knights Templar, to all of his officers to be opened on Thursday, Oct 12. This caused the arrest (and torture) and of some 2000 Knights by the morning of Friday the 13th, 1307.
• There were 13 people at the Last Supper, 12 disciples and Jesus. The 13th (and unlucky) person is considered to be Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. He rose from the table first, a basis for the superstition that if 13 people are seated at dinner, the 1st person to leave will die.
• The Last Supper set the stage for the crucifixion which happened on a Friday. Other biblical events believed to have occured on a Friday: the language mixup at the tower of Babel, the tempting of Adam by Eve, Noah's great flood, among others.
• The scandinavian belief is that 12 demigods met for a supper and didn't invite the 13th, Loki, who was evil and cruel. He intercepted the "party" anyways and wreaked complete and utter havoc.

BUT, on a reassuring note, I also found many references to the number 13 as a lucky number:

• According to patriarchs in early western civilization, 13 represented femininity.
• Thirteen was revered in goddess worshipping cultures because of its connection with the lunar (menstrual) cycle.
• Ancient Egyptians regarded 13 as lucky. Life consisted of stages - 12 on earth, the 13th being the spiritual ascension to the afterlife. Egyptians believed that death was glorious and desireable.

Now that I feel educated on the subject, I have come to my conclusion: To me, Friday the 13th is just another day, equally as capable of being lucky as unlucky. Now, time to head out for our annual work rewards luncheon, beginning somewhere around the 13th hour.