why is friday the 13th unlucky?

Answer 1

Depends if one is superstitious or not.The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th is actually a combination of two separate fears -- the fear of the number 13, called triskaidekaphobia, and the fear of Fridays. The most familiar source of both these phobias is Christian theology. Thirteen is significant to Christians because it is the number of people who were present at the Last Supper (Jesus and his 12 apostles). Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th member of the party to arrive.
Christians have traditionally been wary of Fridays because Jesus was crucified on a Friday. In addition to that, some theologians hold that Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit on a Friday, and that the Great Flood began on a Friday. In the past, many Christians would never begin any new project or trip on a Friday, for fear that the endeavor would be doomed from the start.
Sailors were particularly superstitious in this regard, often refusing to ship out to sea on a Friday. According to legend, in the 18th century, the British Navy commissioned a ship called the H.M.S. Friday in order to quell the superstition. The navy selected the crew on a Friday, launched the ship on a Friday and even selected a man named James Friday as the ship's captain. Then, one Friday morning, the ship set off on its maiden voyage -- and disappeared forever.
Some historians trace the Christian distrust of Fridays to the church's overall opposition to pagan religions. Friday is named after Frigg, the Norse goddess of love and sex. This strong female figure, these historians claim, posed a threat to male-dominated Christianity. To fight her influence, the Christian church characterized her as a witch, vilifying the day named after her. This characterization may also have played a part in the fear of the number 13. It was said that Frigg would often join a coven of witches, normally a group of 12, bringing the total to 13. A similar Christian tradition holds that 13 is unholy because it signifies the gathering of 12 witches and the devil.
Some trace the infamy of the number 13 back to ancient Norse culture. In Norse mythology, the beloved hero Balder was killed at a banquet by the malevolent god Loki, who crashed the party of twelve, bringing the group to 13. This story, as well as the story of the Last Supper, led to one of the most entrenched connotations of the number 13: You should never sit down to a meal in a group of 13.
Another significant part of the Friday-the-13th legend is a particularly bad Friday the 13th that occurred in the middle ages. On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France burned the revered Knights Templar at the stake, marking the occasion as a day of evil.
Some people come to fear Friday the 13th because of misfortune they've experienced on that day in the past. If you get in a car wreck on one Friday the 13th, or lose your wallet, that day is bound to stay with you. But if you think about it, bad things (from spilling your coffee to, well, much more serious problems) happen all the time, so if you're looking for bad luck on Friday the 13th, you'll probably find it.

Answer 2

The number 13 has been associated with death in certain cultures. The ancient Egyptians, for example, believed life unfolded in 12 stages, and the 13th stage was death. The Egyptians considered death a part of their ultimate journey and looked forward to the spiritual transformation thus 13 was not an unlucky number in their culture. but like so many others, the tradition warped through time and cultures, eventually associating the number 13 with a more negative and fearful interpretation of death.

Some peoiple also believe that the number 13 may have an unlucky connotation because of its association with the lunar calendar (there are 13 lunar cycles in a year) and with femininity (women have 13 menstrual cycles in a year).

I did a report on this time old superstition and its amazing to hear what people think about the day.

Answer 3

Both the number 13 and the day of the week Friday have had varied "reputations" throughout the centuries - sometimes considered to be holy and at other times considered to be unholy. In the Western world, the superstition linking Friday the 13th with being unlucky is primarily associated with the final Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Jacques Demolay, and the date of Friday, October the 13th, 1307 AD.

All that stuff about Christians considering Friday unlucky because of Crucifixion day is absolute bollocks! Hispanic nations have a great christian majority and there Tuesday is considered as an unlucky day not Friday. Hence, no relation to Christianity.

Answer 4

It could be because of the 13 people at the Last Supper, or because Jesus was crucified on a Friday, or because a ship named HMS Friday disappeared on a Friday, or because of Frigg - the Norse goddess of love and sex, or because the Egyptians thought the 13th stage of life was death and they looked forward to death...wait a second that would make it lucky not unlucky..., or because women have 13 menstrual cycles in a year, or because there are 13 lunar cycles which perfectly matches the number of menstrual cycles a year women have...and the word lunacy comes from lunar and...hey I may be on to something there...or because King Philip of France killed all the Knights Templar on Friday the 13th, but...

I think its because a lot of bad things happened in that movie called "Friday the 13th".

Answer 5

Many Christians have long believed that Friday was unlucky because it was the day of the week when Jesus was crucified. The number 13 was believed to bring bad luck because there were 13 people at The Last Supper. Since there were 12 tribes of Israel, that number was considered lucky.

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Answer 6

It's only superstition but I'm starting to believe that it might be unlucky. My mom just got in an accident. She's ok, but the car is not. I don't think that's lucky. Could be a coincidence... or is it?

Answer 7

It wasn't unlucky for me! Since i personally hate Spanish class,It was canceled(yay)I had cupcakes and never walked passed a black cat

Answer 8

Why, why? Simply this day because of auto-suggestion of a presentiment of a trouble all people get in different ridiculous and problem situations. What became the beginning of all of it, nobody knows and does not remember. If someone remembers, this someone is immortal. :)

Answer 9

My vacum cleaner broke today,I ran out of cigarettes and pepsi today.Those dont happen ever.Im not superstitious but at the rate it`s going I hope my black cat stays gone till midnite.

Answer 10

It's really not. Some people are superstitious and think that if u do certain things, bad things will happen, like if u walk past a black cat.