Friday the 13th.
Terminology that can set fear in the hearts of men. Do we really want to schedule a closing for Friday the 13th? Do we even want to show a property, or get in the car? What is it about Friday the 13th that causes our hearts to beat a little faster, our eyes to search for trouble?
Let's dissect, shall we? The fear of Friday the 13th has a technical name... it's called Friggatriskaidekaphobia. Wow, that's a mouthful, isn't it? It's from Frigga (the name of the Norse goddess of Friday), Triskadeka (the number 13 in Latin) and phobia (fear in Latin).
Having watched a lot of Discovery channel, and read enough Dan Brown, I know that some trace the fear of Friday the 13th back to the France on Friday the 13th, 1307 when hundreds of Knights Templar were arrested by the French King Phillip the fourth. the Templars were charged with heresy, immorality and other religious abuses, but in reality, they had just become too powerful, and compromised the King's rule. He dealt with that the way Kings often do... they arrested and killed those in their way.
Some have posited that it stems from the last supper, where there were 13 guests, and having 13 people at a supper table will result in the death of one of the guests. (well, at least in that case that proved to be correct, didn't it?).
Numerology suggests that the number 12 is a complete number. After all it's reflected in 12 months of the year, right? There are 12 hours on a clock.... 12 gods of Olympus, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 successors of Muhammad... but 13, well, that's an irregular number screwing up the completeness of 12.
The fear of Friday the 13th has become so prevalent that just the number 13 has become a source of fright. Many buildings won't even "label" a thirteenth floor, skipping directly past it to 14!
In Spanish-speaking countries, it's transferred to Tuesday, as Martes Trece, Tuesday the 13th is considered bad luck. The Greeks also focus on Tuesday the 13th... Tuesday belonging to Ares, the god of war.
Not all cultures fear the 13th. In Jewish tradition, 13 is the age of majority, when a boy becomes a man.
Whatever your belief, I hope you have a fun, and safe Friday the 13th. I don't happen to believe in this stuff, but then I probably wouldn't walk under a ladder today, either.
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