13th February 2026
Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational - but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?
—Judith ViorstParaskevidekatriaphobia is not a word you are likely to use often. It refers to the fear of the date, Friday the 13th. Over the full four centuries of the Gregorian calendar cycle (which repeats exactly), there are 688 Friday the 13ths in 400 years. That averages out to 1.72 per year. Why this date is seen as unlucky is a combination of the number, and the day of the week. Twelve has long been seen as a number of completeness — 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 Olympian gods, 12 apostles…and so thirteen feels like an awkward excess, disrupting an established order. The only reason I can find for Friday being unlucky is that Jesus was crucified on this day. Seafarers traditionally avoided sailing on a Friday for the same reason, but the story that the Royal Navy tried to dispel the superstition by building a ship called HMS Friday (which allegedly disappeared soon after launching) is just pub talk. It never existed!
Interestingly, the pairing of the two seems to be relatively modern. While both elements were viewed negatively for centuries, evidence of people specifically fearing Friday the 13th only appears in the late 19th century, and only really in English-speaking countries. From the team at SWS…
Fair Winds!
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