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This week has the first Friday, 13th of the year, so we thought we’d take a look at why the date evokes fear in those that hear it and try to answer that age old question: is it an unlucky date?

Considering both Fridays and the number 13 are considered unlucky across a variety of different cultures, so it isn’t surprising that the combination of the two can make people feel uneasy.

Historically, it would seem that the fear of the number 13 comes from the bible. In the story where Jesus is betrayed by Judus, he was the 13th person to sit down at the table for the last supper. This is why, even to this day, it is thought to be a bad omen to have 13 people sitting at a dinner table. It could also be attributed to when Philip IV of France decided to arrest hundreds of members of the Knights Templar which took place on a Friday 13th or to a biography of Rossini which was published in the 1860s, in it it is noted that Rossini died on a Friday 13th and that he regarded Fridays as being unlucky. Wherever it originally came from, it is still considered a superstition to this day, in America, many high rises don’t actually have a thirteenth floor! Many hotels will skip room 13 and some airlines don’t have a row 13 either!

If you are wary of Friday the 13th, I’m sorry to tell you we have another one coming up this year… It happens every time a month starts with a Sunday, but there is only one in 2021! However, it should be noted that studies have found no conclusive evidence to indicate that there are any more accidents taking place on Friday 13th than any other day of the year – so you’re quite safe to get involved with one of the many events taking place this coming Friday. Click here to find out more!

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