What are the origins of the Friday the 17th superstition

Superstitions have long been an integral part of human culture, often influencing our behavior and perceptions. One of the most well-known superstitions is the fear associated with Friday the 13th, where people tend to be more cautious and avoid certain activities. However, there is another superstition that is less widely known but equally intriguing – the fear associated with Friday the 17th. Although not as popular as its better-known counterpart, this superstition has its own origins and historical significance.

The origin of the fear surrounding Friday the 17th can be traced back to biblical times and the Last Supper. According to Christian beliefs, there were thirteen people present at the Last Supper, including Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles. The superstition surrounding the number thirteen, often known as triskaidekaphobia, emerged from this association. It is said that shortly after the Last Supper, Jesus was crucified on a Friday, hence making Friday a day of religious significance.

Friday the 17th combines the superstitions surrounding Friday and the number seventeen. The interpretation of the number seventeen as an unlucky figure dates back to ancient Rome, where numerology played a significant role. In Roman numerals, seventeen is written as “XVII,” which can be rearranged to form the anagram “VIXI” meaning “I have lived” or “my life is over.” The Romans believed that people who had reached the age of seventeen had completed an important life cycle, foreshadowing their inevitable fate. This belief contributed to the association of the number seventeen with bad luck, further adding to the superstition surrounding Friday the 17th.

While the fear associated with Friday the 17th has historical roots, its prominence gained momentum in popular culture. In 1907, a famous novel titled “Friday the Thirteenth” was published by Thomas W. Lawson, further entrenching the superstition surrounding the number thirteen. This novel played a pivotal role in bringing attention to the Friday the 13th superstition, overshadowing the lesser-known fear of Friday the 17th.

It is worth mentioning that the fear of Friday the 17th is not widely shared globally. The superstition is more prevalent in Italy, Spain, and certain Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexico and Peru. In these countries, the date is often associated with accidents, bad luck, and misfortune. Interestingly, this fear has even influenced architecture; in some buildings, the floor labeled as the 17th is replaced with a different number, skipping this supposedly unlucky level.

In conclusion, the origins of the superstition surrounding Friday the 17th can be traced back to biblical times, with its roots in the Last Supper and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The belief in the unlucky nature of the number seventeen in ancient Rome further strengthened this superstition. While overshadowed by the more well-known superstition of Friday the 13th, the fear of Friday the 17th has its own unique history and cultural significance. So, the next time Friday the 17th rolls around, you may find yourself reflecting on the age-old beliefs that influenced this lesser-known superstition.