What do you know about Friday the 13th obsession?

(Baonghean.vn) - According to many people, Friday the 13th is an extremely unlucky day. Psychologists have even discovered a syndrome of fear of Friday the 13th. According to the Gregorian calendar, in 2017, Friday will fall on the 13th twice, on January 13, 2017 and October 13, 2017. Below is the unlucky origin of Friday the 13th according to the West.

1. Origin of Friday the 13th

The superstition surrounding this day is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages and may have originated in the Bible. Some historians have claimed that it was the day Eve bit the apple from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the day the great flood began. In the New Testament, 13 men were present at Jesus’ Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the day before Jesus was crucified on Friday. On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of Christian soldiers.

Thirteen people appeared at Jesus' last supper on Thursday.

In the novel The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown cites an incident that occurred in the 14th century when the supreme leader of the Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay was executed on Friday the 13th. He cursed the Pope and the Kings of France.

In a publication by famous novelist Thomas W. Lawson released on Friday. In the novel, an unscrupulous stockbroker takes advantage of superstition to create panic on Wall Street on Friday the 13th.

In numerology, 13 is an unusual number, it is often used to create traps. Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day according to many people's beliefs, causing them to limit going out and avoid traveling or shopping, doing business. Although the belief that Friday the 13th brings bad luck is somewhat superstitious, many people still have a fearful mentality, avoiding doing work, business deals or traveling on this day.

In the United States, an estimated 17 to 21 million people fear Friday the 13th, according to a study by the North Carolina Center for Stress and Anxiety Management, according to International Business Times.

Friggatriskaidekaphobia is a fairly common fear of Friday the 13th. The name comes from Frigga, a goddess in Norse mythology, and triskaidekaphobia, which means fear of the number 13.

According to the Gregorian calendar, Friday the 13th always occurs at least once a year and can repeat up to three times in any given year.

2. "Nonsense" superstitions about Friday the 13th

Many of us believe that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. But the truth is, this year we will have three Fridays the 13th, and this is only the second time we will "meet" this day.

According to Western beliefs, Friday is the worst day of the week and the 13th is the worst day of the month, so when these two things are combined, Friday the 13th creates a great fear. Perhaps, this thinking is the origin of the "unlucky" stories that many people always believe and avoid on Friday the 13th.

+ Meeting a black cat means you have touched bad luck.

The ancient Romans and Egyptians worshiped black cats and considered them a symbol of good luck. But in the 17th century, black cats were associated with witches, and instead of being worshiped, they became a fearsome animal. They were used in sacrificial rituals as sacrifices.

In Iceland, if a black cat crosses your path, it means that illness will knock on your door. In the Roma, Moldavia and Czech Republic, a black cat crossing your path brings bad luck.

+ Open umbrella in the house - family will be unlucky

The ancient Egyptians believed that opening an umbrella in the shade was an insult to the Sun God because it would block the Sun of Ra. The open umbrella would imply that you no longer needed the protection of the god. From then on, your family would be cursed with no more luck or prosperity.

+ Broken mirror is a sign of bad luck for 7 years

In ancient times, if you accidentally broke someone’s mirror, you had to pay for it or serve as a servant for seven years. Because mirrors were such a luxury during that time, breaking a mirror meant you had to spend a lot of money to replace it.

The Romans - the first people to create mirrors - also believed that if you looked in a broken mirror, your reflection would be distorted, and your soul would be trapped in the mirror and would only be released after 7 years.

+ Placing a hat on the bed means the homeowner will encounter great misfortune.

Many Westerners believe that putting a hat on the bed is a sign of disrespect, like a curse that will bring bad luck to the homeowner.

Because the bed looked like a coffin and only when a person or soldier died, their clothes, armor and helmet were placed on the lid as a sign of respect. Therefore, when visiting someone's house, you can place your helmet anywhere - except their bed.

+ Walking under a ladder is an act of angering the gods.

Many people believe that when a ladder is erected against a wall, it forms a triangle, which is one of the most sacred symbols of the Egyptians. And when you stoop under a ladder, you break the symbol and anger the gods.

+ Throw salt over the left shoulder to ward off evil spirits

In ancient times, people believed that spilling salt was an unlucky act because salt was very expensive at that time. In addition, there is a story that Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, was the 13th guest at the party to spill the salt, making the act even more unlucky.

But if you want to "get rid of bad luck", throw these salt grains behind your left shoulder. That's because the ancients believed that the devil always sits right behind your left shoulder. When you waste something valuable like salt, the way to ward off the devil at this time is to blind it by throwing salt in its eyes or appease it by giving it salt.

+ See money coming in, money going out with itchy palm

Many people say that if your right palm itches on Friday the 13th, money will flow into your hand, but if your left palm itches, it means you are losing money. But in reality, you are simply itching because of allergies or insect bites.

+ Carry a horseshoe and rabbit foot as a lucky charm with you

In many places, horseshoes and rabbits' feet are considered the two most famous lucky charms.

The horseshoe is considered lucky because it will make the evil spirits only go around the hoof and not bother you. The rabbit's foot charm is more complicated and troublesome to obtain. The rabbit must be killed by a silver bullet on a new or full moon. If it is a rainy Friday or Friday the 13th, the charm is even more effective.

+ Number 13 is an unlucky number so you should stay away from it.

According to Western beliefs, the number 13 is an unlucky number because of a series of events that happened in history. Judas - Jesus's betrayer - was the 13th guest at the "Last Supper". Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, witches often gathered in groups of 12, and the 13th character was the devil.

However, today, the fear of the number 13 still dominates the minds of many people. The fact that people “discriminate” against this number is shown in many things: 80% of high-rise buildings in the US do not have a 13th floor, hospitals do not have room number 13, and airplanes do not have door number 13.

Kim Ngoc

(Synthetic)