The Anglo-Saxons and Americans consider Friday the 13th as an unlucky day
Tuesday the 13th is considered unlucky in Greece, but also among several Spanish-speaking peoples. In contrast, the Anglo-Saxons and the Americans consider Friday the 13th to be an unlucky day. The Spanish say, “Don’t get married or start a journey on Tuesday“, regarding it as extremely inauspicious. In Greece, however, the roots of the… misfortune can be found in the history books and the stars.
The 13 is the quintessential unlucky number, which breaks the harmony of 12 (12 Olympian Gods, 12 Labors of Hercules, 12 Tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles of Christ, 12 Imams, etc.). With the addition of the number 1, the beginning of a new cycle is formed.
Which historical events are associated with it
The prevailing view is that Tuesday the 13th is considered unlucky because on Tuesday, May 29, 1453, Constantinople fell. Of course, the calendar showed 29, not 13, but the sum of the digits of 1453 gives 13. This particular view likely stems from the need to find a reason for the event of the Fall.
Regarding historical events, a stronger basis seems to be the theory that Tuesday the 13th is unlucky because on Tuesday, April 13, 1204, the City fell to the Crusaders.
As noted by the “father” of Greek folklore, Nikolaos Politis (1852-1921), this interpretation is post hoc, as even contemporaries attributed that national disaster to the disastrous influence of the day. Evidence for this precaution exists as early as 1164.
According to Nikolaos Politis, the explanation for the superstition should be sought in astrological predictions. According to these, Tuesday is dominated by the planet Mars, while at a certain hour of the day (the “evil hour”) it is dominated along with the planet Saturn. This makes that hour particularly dangerous. However, since no one can determine it, the entire Tuesday is treated as an ominous day.
Tuesday and 13 in cinema
The unlucky day has also been honored by Greek cinema with the comedic film “Tuesday and 13,” released in 1963, starring the “superstitious” Nikos Stavridis and his “good luck charm,” Giannis Gkionakis.
The film, written by Georgios Lazaridis and Georgios Roussos and directed by Orestis Laskos, presents the daily life of a superstitious civil engineer, Nikos Stavridis, who finds his “luck” in the form of an old classmate—played by Giannis Gkionakis—who is very poor but very ambitious.
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