Friday The 13th: Myths, Legends, And Surprising Facts
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
This Friday is February 13, 2026. For most people, it will simply be the start of the weekend. But for over 20 million Americans — and countless others worldwide — who suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia, it could be the unluckiest day of the year. No one knows exactly why Friday the 13th is so feared, but there are several theories.
Some experts think the superstition begins with a fear of the number 13. Professor Thomas Fernsler of the University of Delaware says 13 has a bad reputation because it comes after the “complete” number 12. There are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 apostles of Jesus, and so on. Because it comes next, 13 is often seen as incomplete and, therefore, unlucky.
Folklore historian Donald Dossey traces the fear of the number to a Norse myth from the Viking era. According to legend, twelve gods were enjoying a peaceful dinner in Valhalla, the mythical Norse heaven, when Loki, the god of mischief, arrived uninvited. He tricked Hoder, the blind god of darkness, into killing Balder, the god of joy and light. Many Nordic cultures still consider 13 guests at a table unlucky. In France, some people even hire a 14th guest to avoid the number.
Friday has its own unlucky reputation. According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The date was not the 13th. But the crucifixion occurred shortly after the Last Supper, which included 13 people. Some scholars also suggest that Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on a Friday. One legend even claims that Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, killed his brother, Abel, on Friday the 13th!
People who fear Friday the 13th may experience symptoms ranging from mild anxiety to full-on panic attacks. For those working in injury-prone jobs, such as construction, the fear can even lead to more accidents. This makes them dread the day even more.
Surprisingly, Friday the 13th also affects the US economy. Businesses lose about $800 to $900 million, as some people avoid work, travel, or big purchases. However, these fears may be overblown. A 2008 Dutch study found fewer traffic accidents on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays. Reports of fires and thefts were also lower on this day.
For the brave, Friday the 13th could turn out lucky. Many retailers offer deep discounts. So take advantage of the first of three Friday the 13ths this year to get some deals.
Resources: Wikipedia.org, History.com, NPR.com
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
74 Comments
- yourfavabout 17 hoursit is soooo scary I don't know what to do
nenufitozaleabout 17 hoursscary
selobugojuleabout 17 hourswow
ilovebananasabout 19 hoursMy birthday is even on March 13th.- ilovebananasabout 19 hoursIt is not very scary.
navygreenabout 20 hoursCool- navygreenabout 20 hoursMy friends birthday was on Friday the 13th this year
nolszewskiabout 22 hoursInteresting...
buckbeakfan1 dayThey make it sound scary, but it's really just interesting. It starts a new mystery for me.- buckbeakfan1 dayI love Friday the 13th. So glad there's 3 this year. It's so mysterious and cool.
