Vendredi 13 : les origines de la date la plus redoutée au monde

Why does a single day on the calendar carry the weight of centuries of fear?

Vendredi 13 is more than just a superstition—it’s a cultural echo that refuses to fade. Around the world, this date triggers anxiety, hesitation, and even avoidance. Flights are missed, weddings postponed, and business deals rescheduled. But how did this combination of weekday and number become so deeply feared?

Unpacking the layers behind this phenomenon reveals something deeper than mere myth. It’s a story shaped by religion, history, folklore, and fear passed from generation to generation.

Tracing the Fear: Why Friday?

The idea that Vendredi is unlucky dates back centuries. In Christian tradition, it’s believed that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. This association planted a seed of negativity, which slowly grew over time. But it didn’t stop there.

Fridays were also days of public execution in parts of medieval Europe. For those sentenced to die, the end of the week brought more than rest—it brought finality. Over time, this compounded the notion that Friday was cursed, a day when luck ran dry.

In Norse mythology, there’s another shadow over Friday. The goddess Frigg, associated with the day, was demonized by Christian influence. In some interpretations, she became a witchlike figure who gathered with 11 others and the devil on Fridays to plot mischief. That brings the count to 13.

So when fear already lingers around the weekday, it takes only a spark to ignite full-blown superstition.

Lire aussi : La peur de la « personne de l’ombre » : une superstition qui se transmet dans toutes les cultures

And the Number 13?

Thirteen has long been treated as a misfit among numbers. Most hotels skip the 13th floor. Airplanes often omit row 13. In many cultures, a dinner table with 13 guests is believed to bring death before the year ends.

This fear, known as triskaïdékaphobie, isn’t rooted in logic—it’s anchored in cultural memory. The Last Supper is a commonly cited origin. With Jesus and his 12 disciples, the 13th guest was Judas—the betrayer. That betrayal, tied to death, gave the number a permanent association with misfortune.

But the suspicion goes even further back. In Babylonian mythology, the number 13 was left out of some early calendars. In ancient Persian tradition, the 13th day of the new year is spent outdoors to avoid bad luck. These patterns show that the discomfort with 13 is more than a coincidence—it’s a global theme.

When Friday and 13 Collide

Now imagine combining a day already laden with fear and a number seen as dangerous. Vendredi 13 doesn’t just add anxiety—it multiplies it.

While this date was feared quietly for centuries, the modern panic began to take shape in the early 20th century. In 1907, the novel Friday, the Thirteenth by Thomas Lawson told the story of a stockbroker who crashes the market on that day. The book didn’t just reflect superstition—it helped spread it.

Then came the 1980 horror movie Vendredi 13. With its shocking deaths and masked killer, the film didn’t invent the fear—it crystallized it. The superstition leaped from whispered warnings into pop culture’s bloodstream. And once it was there, it never left.

Real-World Effects of the Date

You might laugh at the idea of a date causing harm—but fear has a way of shaping behavior.

According to a study from the British Medical Journal, traffic accidents and hospital admissions noticeably increase on Friday the 13th compared to other Fridays. The researchers suggested that anxiety and heightened awareness might ironically lead to more danger, not less.

In the U.S., it’s estimated that $800 to $900 million in business is lost on each Friday the 13th due to people canceling trips, staying home, or avoiding purchases.

Airlines report slight dips in ticket sales. Wedding planners see fewer bookings. It’s not the date itself—it’s our reaction to it that creates real-world consequences.

A Personal Belief Passed Down

In São Paulo, Luciana Menezes remembers her grandmother refusing to leave the house on any Friday the 13th. “She would light candles, pray, and tell us not to wear black,” Luciana recalls.

For years, Luciana thought it was just a family quirk—until she saw coworkers quietly adjusting schedules around that day.

Now 32 and raising a daughter, Luciana finds herself hesitating too. “I know it’s silly, but I still avoid job interviews on that date,” she admits. “It’s like I inherited her fear, even though I don’t believe in it.”

A Familiar Echo in Different Cultures

The fear of Friday the 13th isn’t global—but the fear of certain days and numbers is.

In Italy, Vendredi 17 is considered unlucky. In Spain and Greece, Mardi 13 carries the same weight. These variations show that while superstitions differ in detail, their emotional core is universal: uncertainty makes us crave control.

In an office in Mumbai, a man named Vikram refuses to launch new projects during “inauspicious” phases on the calendar. He laughs when asked about Friday the 13th, but admits, “Everyone has their day. This just happens to be yours.”

An Analogy of Fear

Think of Vendredi 13 like a shadow. It doesn’t harm you—it follows you, shaped by the angles of your own belief. For some, it’s barely noticeable. For others, it darkens everything.

The more attention you give it, the bigger it seems. That’s the strange psychology behind superstition. It feeds on repetition. On stories whispered in kitchens. On caution passed down like a family heirloom.

Une question qui mérite d'être posée

If so many people fear Friday the 13th, even if only slightly, what does that say about us?

Maybe it’s not about the date at all. Maybe it’s about our need to make sense of chaos. To believe that bad things happen for a reason—even if the reason is written in a calendar.

That belief gives us comfort. Ironically, even in fear, we find something solid to hold onto.

Conclusion: Fear That Speaks Our Language

Vendredi 13 is more than a superstition. It’s a mirror reflecting our deepest uncertainties. It reminds us how easily fear becomes tradition—and how tradition can shape behavior, even without evidence.

What we fear often says more about us than about the thing itself. And yet, there’s something oddly unifying in this shared nervousness. In airports, offices, and family homes around the world, the day prompts a subtle shift in posture. A caution. A pause.

And maybe, just maybe, that pause is worth listening to.

Questions About Friday the 13th

Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?
It combines two historically feared elements: the day Friday, associated with misfortune in Christian and Norse traditions, and the number 13, long viewed as unlucky due to religious and cultural roots.

Are there actual statistics that show danger increases on this date?
Yes. Studies like one from the British Medical Journal found a slight increase in traffic accidents and hospital visits on Friday the 13th compared to other Fridays.

Is the fear of this date universal?
No. While Friday the 13th is feared in many Western cultures, countries like Italy fear Friday the 17th, and in Spain and Greece, Tuesday the 13th is considered unlucky.

Do businesses really lose money on this day?
Yes. It’s estimated that $800–900 million in revenue is lost due to people canceling trips, skipping work, or delaying purchases on Friday the 13th.

Can fear of this date impact decision-making?
Absolutely. Many people adjust schedules, avoid travel, or make safer choices—even if they claim not to believe in the superstition. The psychological influence is real.