It is a day that some dread.
When you wake up this morning, a glance at the calendar reveals that today is Friday the 13th. The fear of this date that some people have to face has a name: paraskevidekatriaphobia.
This hard-to-pronounce term comes from the Greek words
paraskevi
,
dekatria
and
phobos
.
These mean “
Friday
”
,
“
thirteen
” and “
phobia ” respectively.
".
The origin of this fear is not fixed.
It could come from the Bible, where during the Last Supper - the last of Christ's last meal - 13 people are seated, including the traitor Judas.
For Friday, it could also come from the Bible: it is the day when Jesus Christ was crucified.
Why are some people afraid of Friday the 13th?
“
There is first a social explanation,
indicates to
Figaro
Nicolas Gauvrit, teacher-researcher in cognitive sciences at the University of Lille.
Often, these superstitions start because we believe people, for example our family, who explain to us that it can bring bad luck
”.
To this is added in particular “
a memory effect
”.
“
The mere fact of being worried will be remembered and will resurface on the following Friday the 13th.
Especially since we tend to see confirmations of what we believe in
,
” he
explains.
Read alsoFriday the 13th: five strange but legitimate superstitions
Le Figaro
collected testimonials from people who are about to live a day “
not like the others
”.
SEE ALSO
- Friday the 13th, chance: how to explain the irrational?
“I find this date stressful”
Charles is 22 years old.
This Parisian student advances "
not to be scared to death
" of Friday the 13th, but he has "
the impression that this day is not like the others
"
.
"
I have to take a train this Friday the 13th, I will leave 25 minutes earlier than usual, to keep a margin
," he says
.
He claims not to know where this fear comes from.
“
No doubt my grandmother who was scared of Friday the 13th
, remembers the one who is not usually superstitious.
She must have passed it on to
me
.
Same pattern for Julie, 22, who "
must have heard that this date was bad luck
" when she was little.
“
I find this date stressful without knowing why
”
,
she says even though “
it [him] never happened anything on a Friday the 13th
”
.
Nor to his relatives.
If for her, there is no question of adapting her day because of the date, Chris – who did not wish to give more details about his identity – “
will not bet money
” this Friday.
"
I will not make any important choices that day and I will avoid taking the elevator and going to crowded places as much as possible
,
"
he warns.
Read alsoDoes flying on Friday the 13th cost less?
Because for him, this date is “
negative on a global scale
”
.
"
Let's remember, the Paris attacks
[where 131 people lost their lives in November 2015, editor's note]
took place on Friday the 13th
,
"
he says, seeing a link between these tragic events and the date.
"
I'm superstitious, so I avoid playing with fire in those moments
,
"
he says.
This “ avoidance
”
strategy
is
also the one adopted by Léa.
This companion for students with disabilities (AESH) avoids leaving her home on Friday the 13th, when she can.
"
There, I will not be able to stay at home.
I will therefore be extra vigilant not using anything that could be dangerous
,
”
says the one who was anxious at the idea of being Friday January 13 from Wednesday 11.
"I can't wait for the next day"
For others, being a Friday the 13th won't change their habits.
However, Jeanne* admits “
to be in a hurry to be the next day
”
.
"
I won't be surprised if something happens to me on Friday the 13th
," she says.
If in addition it is a full moon evening
[which would influence the quality of sleep, editor's note]
, I no longer live
”.
This 50-year-old therefore has a very specific technique: “
Playing the lottery
”
.
In fact, Friday the 13th is sometimes, in a diametrically opposite way, presented as a lucky day.
"
It's a way of reassuring myself and of forgetting this day
", affirms Jeanne.
Read alsoFriday the 13th: only a superstitious person will do a 10/10 on this test
On Friday the 13th, la Française des jeux sets up a “Super Draw” with large sums up for grabs.
“
My mother won a lot of money at the lottery playing on a Friday the 13th
,” says Valentine, 23, who therefore did not see this date with a negative eye.
However, recent events have pushed her to become superstitious.
“
On the penultimate Friday the 13th, I had a glass breakage on my car in which my suitcases were, when I was going on vacation.
The next day my phone stopped working for no reason and I lost all my photos
,
”
she recalls.
What make him fear this Friday, January 13 and the following.
Friday, October 13, 2023.
*Name has been changed.