Happy Friday the 13th - re post w/update
Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in many superstitions around the globe. Similar superstitions exist in some other traditions. In Greece and Spain, for example, Tuesday the 13th takes the same role. "The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia, paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia, a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a phobia (fear) of the number thirteen."
The modern basis for the aura that surrounds Friday the 13th stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against "the Knights Templar". The Templar's were The Templar's were terminated , deemed heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. Their Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified.
There are many theories surrounding the number 13. At the "Last Supper" there were 13 guests in attendance. Most Christians believe Jesus to be the 13th at feast, occurring just before he was Crucified. Most paintings depict the disciples and Jesus at a table, but evidence suggests that the last supper was not conducted at a table. Rather the participants were seated on the ground where it was cooler. If one started with Judas, Jesus became the 13th guest. Conversely, if the count began at Jesus, it was indeed Judas who was 13. Both options would contribute to the mystique surrounding 13: Jesus, for he was killed soon after the feast, Judas for he was the betrayer of Jesus.
Though not proven some have claimed to be a 13th tribe of Israel. The bible proclaims only 12, and a very high percentage of Christians and Jews deny that a 13th tribe even exist. However, a few recognize that a group had, falsely, identified themselves as a 13th tribe. The members of the "13th tribe" were labeled as "witches" and "sorcerers," a evil group who determine to destroy followers of God. Which further illustrates the false propaganda Christian organizations are willing to put forth in order to label witchcraft as evil.
Friday the 13th comes into play when it is observed that Jesus was Crucified on a Friday. Obviously, should one chose to accept this theory, the day associated with the death of their Savior would lend to the supposed bad luck which occupies this particular date. It is also said that it was a Friday when Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Friday used to be the 6th day of the week, it was not until more recent times that it became the 5th day. 6, being the number biblically associated with man, relates to the Devil. 3 is the number of the Holy Trinity, therefore with 6 being the number of man, 666 was denoted as the number of the Beast. (A Trinity of Six, signifying the God of Man, Satan.)
Also, any month with a Friday the 13th must begin with a Sunday the 1st. Curiosity leads one to ask if a significance lies in the observation that only months that begin with the day God decided to rest (Sunday), after "creating the world," yield a day of such supposed demonic evil and misfortune.
To the Norse Friday was the luckiest day of the week, being named after Freya, one of their Deities. Also named after Venus, in Rome and France. To continue on, perhaps extending a bit further in the past than Christian influence, a mythological occurrence presents: At the banquet in Valhalla, of which there were 12 guests, Loki, God of Deceit, intruded, becoming the uninvited 13th guest.
In Norse mythology, Balder was the god of light and beauty. The most beloved of the gods, he was the son of Odin and Frigg and the husband of Nanna, goddess of the Moon. Balder was killed by Loki’s treachery during the proceedings. Through Loki’s interference, the return of Balder, from the possession of Hel, was an impossible task. To return Balder, Hel demanded that all living things beg for the god’s return. All respond except a giantess, Thokk (Loki in disguise), whose refusal to weep forces Balder to remain in Hel's domain.
There are 13 members which make up a coven. 13 was sacred because it represented the amount of lunar months in year (Thirteen Full Moons).
13 being a sacred number to most Pagan traditions was therefore deemed evil by early Christians. For a superstition to spread so far it must be distributed through a largely influential source, such as Christianity. 13 is still considered good luck in Italy, (home of the Roman Catholic church), which separated from the rest of Christianity due to conflicting political and theological disagreements. Moreover, Friday was considered sacred by both Norse traditions and Muslims, both which are considered enemies to Christianity. Instituting Friday the 13th as a day of evil worked to prevent losing followers to either path, utilizing fear as a binding weapon.
A recent article shows that a new superstition has been "invented"' involving the number 13. Now some serial killers has been bunched under the 13 letter group, and it goes something like this:
Jack the Ripper- 13 letters
John Wayne Gacy- 13 letters
Charles Manson- 13 letters
Jeffrey Dahmer- 13 letters
Theodore ( Ted ) Bundy- 13 letters
E.A. Poe's The Black Cat By Carrie Hawks
If you are interested in reading more about the number 13 please read Boyd Rice's artcle:
"13: A Secret Number of Sacred Power"