Friday the 13th: Why is the date considered unlucky and when will it return?

Friday the 13th is associated with superstition, fear and misfortune. Explore the origins of the belief, its links to mythology and popular culture, and discover when the date will next appear after its final occurrence in 2026.

Hyderabad: Today is Friday the 13th, a date that has long been associated with superstition, fear and misfortune. Even for those who do not believe in superstitions, the date often evokes curiosity about its origins and the reasons behind its ominous reputation.

The fear stems from two long-standing beliefs: that the number 13 is unlucky and that Friday is an inauspicious day. In many cultures, the number 12 is regarded as a symbol of completeness, with 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs and 12 hours on a clock. The number 13 is consequently viewed by some as disrupting this perceived order.

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Christian tradition also associates Friday with misfortune, as Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified on that day. Another popular explanation comes from Norse mythology, in which the uninvited trickster god Loki arrives as the 13th guest at a gathering of 12 gods, triggering a chain of tragic events.

The superstition gained wider recognition following the publication of T.W. Lawson’s novel Friday, the Thirteenth in 1907. The subsequent Friday the 13th horror film franchise further strengthened the date’s association with fear and bad luck.

The fear of the number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia, while the specific fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia. Some buildings even omit the 13th floor because of the superstition.

Interestingly, every calendar year has at least one Friday the 13th, but never more than three. In 2026, the date falls three times—in February, March and November.

With November 13 marking the last occurrence this year, the next Friday the 13th will fall on August 13, 2027. It will return in October 2028, after a gap of 14 months.