The year 2020 has proved to be a difficult year and may create a few more problems on Friday the 13th for those who suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobia, the scientific term used to describe the fear of this day. Today, Friday 13th is the second one this year as it also occurred in March 2020.
A few historians date the superstition to a Norse myth. Twelve Gods were invited for dinner. A 13th uninvited guest came and shot one of the gods. As a result, the entire earth became dark. That day was deemed as a bad and an unlucky day and it was the 13th day so the number was considered unlucky.
Others attribute the unluckiness to “The Last Supper” when Jesus and his 12 disciples sat together the day before he was crucified on Good Friday. Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, may have been the 13th guest to sit down for the supper.
Two other unsubstantiated occurrences relating to the unluckiness of this day report that this was the day Eve gave Adam the apple from the Tree of Knowledge and was also the day Cain killed Abel, his brother.
Most Americans are not very superstitious or not at all superstitious though a small percentage, less than 10%, admitted to be very superstitious according to a study done in September 2019.
Image by KERBSTONE from Pixabay
Source Kxan History website
