Freaky Friday

Today is Friday the thirteenth. While many of us are going "Uh-huh. So?", a whole bunch of other people are expecting bad luck to be hiding around every corner just waiting to kick them in the behind. So, this morning I found myself wondering, what is the big deal? Where did this whole superstition come form?

I find that there isn't one set answer. There are loads of other explanations as to why people freak out on this one particular day. Here are a few of the more interesting reasons I found:

• Christian theology doesn't like Fridays very much because most of the really awful events in Christian history happened on a Friday: the great floods, the Crucifiction, and Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. The number thirteen is significant because there were thirteen people at the Last Supper and Judas was the thirteenth person to arrive.
• Scandinavians believed that thirteen was an unlucky number because their original twelve demigods were joined by a thirteenth god, Loki. Loki was an evil god who got his kicks by making humans suffer.
• 1307-10-13, the Pope and the King of France issued an death warrant for the Knights Templar accusing them of being heretics. The leader of the Knights Templar was tortured and crucified. The day was declared to be one of evil.

The fear of Friday is known as "dekatriaphobia" and the fear of the number thirteen is known as "triskaidekaphobia" (wow, that's a mouthful). Other interesting thirteen tidbits include the fact that there are usually thirteen steps to the gallows and thirteen knots in the hangman's noose.

Freaky stuff, huh?

On that note, I wish you all a fabulous Friday! Don't go looking for bad luck, it will no doubt find you...