Friday the 13th has a long-standing reputation for being associated with misfortune and various superstitions. Here are some widely held beliefs related to this infamous day:
One common superstition is that breaking a mirror results in seven years of bad luck, a notion derived from the ancient idea that mirrors contain a fragment of one’s soul.
Another belief is that a black cat crossing your path brings bad luck. This originates from medieval Europe, where black cats were thought to be companions of witches, thus bringing misfortune to those in their way.
The superstition of walking under a ladder has its roots in ancient Egypt, where triangles were considered sacred. Walking beneath a ladder was believed to disturb this sacred shape, inviting bad luck.
Spilling salt has also been viewed as a sign of misfortune for centuries. To avoid the bad luck associated with spilling salt, it is customary to toss a pinch over one’s left shoulder to blind any lurking evil spirits.
The number 13 is regarded as unlucky by many, which is why several buildings skip the 13th floor. This fear even has a name: triskaidekaphobia.
Despite these superstitions, many Friday the 13ths come and go without any unusual events, so there’s no need to be overly concerned if today happens to be one!