- Jesus and his disciples totaled thirteen, and many believe that Judas was the 13th individual to be seated at the last supper.
Ancient Persians feared the number 13, believing that it brought with it chaos and destruction.
- In Norse mythology, Loki, the god of chaos, is believed to be the thirteenth god in the pantheon.
- The Norse goddess Frigg, after whom Friday is named, was said to have joined a coven of twelve witches, resulting in a gathering of 13.
- The number is also said to represent the devil’s presence in a coven.
Moreover, the Knights Templar were arrested on a Friday the 13th in the 1300s. The Freemasons, who were said to have connections with the original Knights Templar, may have perpetuated the fear and superstition connected with the number.
- Apollo 13, the doomed mission to the moon that nearly did not make it back home, launched at 13:13. Many elevators, airports, and public buildings have rooms and floors that go straight from 12 to 14.
- Ever since Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, Christians have had a disdain for that day of the week. Hangings in England often took place on a Friday, and supposedly the walk to the noose took 13 steps. Fear continues into modernity, with the urban legend of a British sailing ship Friday that left with 13 crewmembers on Friday the 13th and a captain named Friday, never again to return. Superstition about the day abounds to the point that it is considered the most widespread superstition in the western world.