Whenever a common year of 365 days starts on a Sunday, it’s inevitable that the months of January and October will start on a Sunday. In 2017, blame a common year starting on Sunday.
In modern times, the slasher-movie franchise Friday the 13th has helped keep friggatriskaidekaphobia alive.īest New Year’s gift ever! EarthSky moon calendar for 2017Įnjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today! The Friday the 13th slasher-movie franchise helped keep this day maintain its notoriety. Christians called Frigga a witch and Friday the witches’ Sabbath. Meanwhile, our word for Friday comes from Frigga, an ancient Scandinavian fertility and love goddess. Seating 13 people at a table was seen as bad luck because Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, is said to have been the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Jesus was said to be crucified on a Friday. There are also some links between Christianity and an ill association with either Fridays or the number 13. In the Middle Ages, people would not marry – or set out on a journey – on a Friday. He doesn’t look scary.įriday has always gotten a bad rap. The earliest known documented reference in English appears to be in Henry Sutherland Edwards’ 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini. The fact is that, according to folklorists, there’s no written evidence that Friday the 13th was considered unlucky before the 19th century. It’s just a quirk of our calendar, as you’ll see as you keep reading. Scary coincidence or super unlucky? Neither. The earliest known documented reference in English appears to be in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Rossini. Folklorists say there's no written evidence that Friday the 13th was considered unlucky before the 19th century. Rhyme and reason for the 400-year Friday the 13th cycleĬan a leap year start on Sunday? Gioachino Rossini, a 19th century Italian composer. How often do January-October Friday the 13ths happen? In 2017, blame a common year starting on Sunday
Yikes, that’s quite a few of coincidences involving the number 13 … though we could cite many more!įollow the links below to learn more about why some people fear this day and about the intriguing mathematics of Friday the 13th and the calendar. Then the second Friday the 13th of 2018 falls on July 13, 2018, exactly 13 weeks after the first Friday the 13th in April 2018. Next year, in 2018 (which also has two Friday the 13ths), the first of the two comes on April 13, 2018, exactly 26 weeks (2 x 13 weeks) after the Friday the 13th in October 2017. Not that we at EarthSky suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia – an irrational fear of Friday the 13th – but, gosh darn, this year’s second Friday the 13th on October 13, 2017, happens exactly 39 weeks (3 x 13 weeks) after the last Friday the 13th in January 2017. This year, in 2017, there are two Friday the 13ths (January and October).
Three Friday the 13ths last took place in 2015 (February, March, November), and will next happen in 2026. The last time we had only one Friday the 13th in a calendar year was in May 2016 and the next time won’t be until August 2021. Any calendar year has at least one Friday the 13th, but no more than three Friday the 13ths. Octois a Friday, ushering the second of two Friday the 13ths in 2017.