Triskaidekaphobia Anyone? - 13 Fun Facts About Friday the 13th

ALTON – While many people look forward to the spooky, supposedly unlucky day, others, not so much.

Did you know that the fear of Friday the 13^th is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia or Friggatriskaidekaphobia?

Did you know that in other areas of the world, Tuesday the 13^th is considered a day of bad luck?

Here are some other fun facts about Friday the 13^th that you may not have known, 13 of them to be exact.

1. This is the second occurrence of Friday the 13^th in 2023. The first was in January.
2. The last time October had a Friday the 13^th was in 2017.
3. Some unlucky years have three Fridays on the 13th. The last time this occurred was in 2015. The next time it will happen is in 2026.
4. The more well-known Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13.
5. Most cruise ships/hotels/skyscrapers do not recognize a 13^th floor due to fear and you will not be able to get out on that level.
6. 13 at a table – an old superstition dating back to 1774 believes that if 13 people sit at a table, then one of them must die within a year.
7. Other countries, such as Greece as well as others in Latin America, believe that Tuesday the 13^th is bad luck.
8. In Brazil, an August Friday the 13^th is considered unluckier than any other month because Agosto (August) rhymes with desgosto (sorrow).
9. Big movie franchise – many will have heard of the Friday the 13^th horror/thrasher films depicting Jason, sported in his classic white hockey mask, who returns each year to Camp Crystal Lake to seek out more victims.
10. The number 13 is just one of many superstitions surrounding bad luck. Others include broken mirrors and black cats.
11. Biblical origin? – Some think that the number 13 being unlucky can be traced back to the Bible. Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, has been labeled “the 13^th guest” at the Last Supper.
12. The number in sports – famous NFL quarterbacks Dan Marino and Kurt Warner saw great success with the number on their backs. Wilt Chamberlin, a 13-time NBA All-Star, has the number 13 retired for five different teams.
13. Outer space? – after the scare that was Apollo 13, NASA decided not to call their next launch STS-13 due to the bad luck number, instead they opted for STS-41-G.

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