Friday the 13th: The history and enduring superstition

Every year, it appears on the calendar at least once. Friday the 13th has earned a reputation for 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, October 13, 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.

Pope Clement, King Philip! Before the year is out we shall meet at God's judgment. - Jacques de Molay is said to have uttered these words, dying on March 18, 1314.

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. 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 November 29, 1314, most likely from a brain hemorrhage.

The superstition of Friday the 13th being "cursed" has survived to this day. According to superstitions, one should avoid traveling, signing contracts, or starting new projects on this day. 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 origins of 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 greatly emphasize the "unlucky" date. That's why in our country or Canada, many buildings do not have a 13th floor and airports do not have a 13th gate. Greece, Romania, and Spain are exceptions: there the unlucky day is also 13, but Tuesday.