Why Is Friday The 13th Considered Unlucky?

Here's the worst case scenario: a black cat crosses your path as you walk under a ladder to pick up the pieces of the mirror you've just broken.

That's the ultimate superstition nightmare for those who believe this day - Friday the 13th - is nothing but bad luck.

Of course, the experts will tell you that there's nothing to it. But some will always believe otherwise.

Still, it's hard to take Friday the 13th seriously, despite the fact the myth persists.

There's even a scientific name for it - triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13. And then there's paraskevidekatriaphobia, an actual fear of Friday the 13th itself.

So where did it all begin? Like most legends, the actual origin is lost to history. But scholars who've studied the phenomenon - and yes, some actually get paid to do just that - believe there are Biblical connotations.

"Friday was the day on which Christ was crucified. ... Judas was considered the 13th person at the table (of the Last Supper) and he of course, is the betrayer," outlines Dena Taylor, a U. of T. occult expert.

She notes Christians in the Middle Ages also believed witches met in covens of 13 - and the 13th member was the devil himself.

But if you're reading this from other parts of the world over the Net, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. Because for most, Friday the 13th is simply the name of a series of horror movies.

"Within western culture Friday the 13th is perceived as being unlucky ... (In other cultures) it's meaningless," Taylor relates.

And while 2008 only has one of the dreaded dates, beware of 2009. That's when triskaidekaphobics will be hiding under the bed. There are three Friday the 13's that year - in February, March and November. You might call it the 'luck' of the draw.