Friday 13th

When it comes to Friday 13th in October, you can’t help but make parallels between Friday 13th and Halloween – and no we’re not talking about the movie series.

Many of you will have seen the ridiculous statement circling the internet that claims that Halloween falls on Friday 13th for the first time in 666 years – considering that Halloween is always 31st October, it’s an impossibility that there is any truth in the statement.

Most people believe that Friday 13th is a day that promises bad luck to any and all, but what are the origins of this?

There are many theories as to why the number 13 is considered unlucky and superstitions that assign importance to the combination of 13 and Friday.

However there are notable events that have taken place on Friday 13th that could provide some indication as to why we still consider the day unlucky any why it is frequently associated with Halloween.

On Friday 13th October in 1307 hundreds of Knights Templar were arrested by King Philip IV of France (not personally).  The charges against them were varied, but the real reason for their arrest was the king wanted the money that the knights had access to. Many of these Templars that were arrested were executed.

The bombing of Buckingham Palace during the Blitz took place on Friday 13th September 1940.

You may have heard the name Kitty Genovese, if you don’t recognise the name, you may have heard the story about the woman who was stabbed to death in the street outside her apartment in Kew Gardens. Not only was the young woman (28 years old) killed in the street, there were at least 37 witnesses who either saw or heard the attack and did nothing. No one attempted to save her or even called the police. This event is referenced in the movie, the Boondock Saints and used as an example of the adage by Edmund Burke “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” If you hadn’t already guessed it, the murder happened on Friday 13th March 1964 in Queens, New York. (It should be mentioned that in recent years evidence has been presented that the police were called and the number if witnesses were lower than reported, but as a piece of folklore it adds to the Friday 13th horror)

A cyclone hit Bangladesh on Friday 13th November 1970 that killed more than 300,000 people.

On Friday 13th October 1972 a Chilean Air Force place disappeared over the Andes.

Tupac Shakur, the influential rapper famous for the songs Changes, Hit em up, Only God can judge me, Hail Mary and Life Goes On died on Friday 13th September 1996. He had been shot in a drive by shooting on 7th September.

On Friday 13th January 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed off the coast of Italy killing 30 people.