Why Friday the 13th became the unluckiest day in history
Every year, it appears on the calendar at least once. Friday the 13th has earned the reputation of being the unluckiest day of the year. But what is the source of this belief?
The superstition associated with Friday the 13th started due to events in the 14th century. On Friday, 13 October 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Templars. Seven years later, the last grand master of the order, Jacques de Molay, just before being executed at the stake, cursed the monarch and Pope Clement V.
It is believed that Jacques de Molay, as he faced his death on March 18, 1314, declared that both Pope Clement and King Philip would join him before God's judgment before the year ended.
Although it's hard to believe, the curse "came true." Neither the pope nor the king survived the year after these words were spoken.
The Pope died of bacterial dysentery just a month after Jacques de Molay's death. Some sources suggest that Clement V was poisoned by a monk who spiked his wine with poison. Legend has it that the pope's body, lying in state, was engulfed in flames by a lightning bolt that entered through an open window.
King Philip IV also did not live long after the curse was uttered. He died on 29 November 1314, most likely due to a brain haemorrhage.
The superstition of Friday the 13th being "cursed" has survived to this day. According to superstitions, on this day, one should avoid travelling, signing contracts, or starting new projects. The belief that if something could go wrong, it certainly will on Friday the 13th has endured.
Friday the 13th is considered unlucky in many countries. Regardless of the reasons for this superstition, seeing this date on the calendar evokes a strange feeling, even though it's just a Friday like any other. Within a single calendar year, Friday the 13th can occur from one to three times.
Anglo-Saxon countries and most of Europe place great importance on the "unlucky" date. In the United States or Canada, many buildings do not have a 13th floor, and airports there do not have a 13th gate. Greece, Romania, and Spain are exceptions: there, the unlucky day is also 13, but Tuesday.
