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There are many dates we mark on our calendars: birthdays, New Year’s, Christmas, Valentine’s Day (and Singles’ Day), Women’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Father’s Day… But then, when we are usually not paying too much attention, someone mentions it and gives us a slight chill by saying, ‘Oh… today is Tuesday the 13th.’ In Greek and Latin American cultures, Tuesday the 13th is considered the equivalent of Friday the 13th in the USA. 

If you’ve heard the popular saying, ‘On Tuesday the 13th, don’t get married, don’t travel, and don’t stray too far from home,’ then you understand why some people consider it an unlucky day. This superstition has even inspired horror movies, like the famous Friday the 13th from 1980, although it’s not quite the same. We all recognize the number 13 as a symbol of bad luck, but have you ever wondered why? And why is this particular date considered cursed?

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A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Or Friday the 13th (1980) pic.twitter.com/Ui1lK5sCOb

— Lilly Myers 🎃🔪🖤💀💋 (@Lilithmyers97) February 6, 2024

The Start of Bad Luck 

Attention: Spoiler alert. There isn’t any scientific proof to back up the idea that this day brings bad luck to everyone. Instead, it’s a belief that might have religious origins. Let’s dig into it. First off, there were 13 people at Jesus’ Last Supper, and some say he was crucified on a Friday the 13th. Plus, in the final book of the New Testament, the Apocalypse, the Antichrist pops up in chapter 13. Also, Jewish Kabbalah mentions thirteen evil spirits. 

Now, stepping beyond Christian beliefs, in Viking culture, the number 13 wasn’t seen as a good sign. Loki, a mythical figure known as the ‘God of Chaos’ or ‘God of Bad Luck,’ caused trouble when he showed up uninvited to a dinner with 12 gods in Valhalla. 

Moving on, tarot cards have added to the superstition. The card representing Death is the 13th card in the deck, giving some people the creeps. All this has helped spread the legend that 13 is an unlucky number, though the reason Tuesdays on the 13th are seen as bad luck is a bit different. 

Here’s Where it Gets Interesting

In Roman times, Mars (or Ares in Greek culture), the god of war and passion, was linked to the number 13. The association between his name and the number led some folks to think of bad stuff. Fast forward to the Middle Ages, and a strange event made people believe Tuesdays on the 13th were cursed. 

On Tuesday, May 29, 1453, the Roman Empire of Constantinople fell, with hundreds of soldiers dying. Historians also say there were heavy rains that day, making it tough for fighters to reach the city. That’s the backstory behind why some people think Tuesday the 13th is an unlucky day. 

Original article for LOS40 Spain.