Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday The 13th Fun Facts

The superstitious believe Friday the 13th is a day of bad luck. Here are a few facts on Friday the 13th:
  • Any month’s 13th day will fall on a Friday if the month starts on Sunday.
  • The fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom “Friday” is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen).
  • According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century. The first reference occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini.
  • Many theories suggest the number 13 is unlucky because it doesn’t show up regularly in history.  For example there are 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 hours on a clock and 12 Gods of Olympus.
  • Friday is regarded as a grim day in “The Canterbury Tales.”
  • Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
  • Many stock market crashes have occurred on Fridays since the 1800s.
  • Friday the 13th became better known after the release of a 1907 novel by Thomas W. Lawson. “Friday the Thirteenth” tells the story of a broker who creates a financial panic on the infamous day.
  • Around 20 million Americans are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th, according to Stress Management and Phobia Institute. Many say they abandon their daily routine.
  • In Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th (or martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck.
  • Rapper Tupac Shakur was pronounced dead on Friday, September 13, 1996.
  • Four of the “Friday the 13th” films were released on Friday the 13th
  • A near-Earth asteroid, 99943 Apophis, will make its close encounter on Friday, April 13th, 2029.