Unfortunately, the history of this day has become somewhat obscured over time, so it is not widely known why it came to be considered unlucky.
The “Thirteen Club”: In the late 19th century, a group in New York, led by Civil War Captain William Fowler, formed the “Thirteen Club” to actively defy the superstition. Members held their first meeting on Friday, January 13, 1882, in room 13, sat down to a 13-course meal, and walked under a ladder to prove the superstition wrong.
Airlines and Buildings Skip 13: Many hotels, high-rise buildings, and hospitals do not have a 13th floor or room 13. Some airlines even skip row 13 on their planes.
However, not all Fridays were created equal. Good Friday, in contrast, was believed to bring good luck, especially for sailors who made their maiden voyages on this auspicious day. Similarly, the number 13 has been associated with bad luck since ancient times.
The exact origins of this superstition, however, remain unknown. Some attribute it to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, where there were 13 individuals at the table, including Jesus and his 12 disciples. The 13th guest, Judas Iscariot, is infamous for betraying Christ and taking his own life.
This belief led to the notion that if 13 people shared a meal, one of them would die within the year. The fear of the number 13 gained immense popularity in the 19th century, prompting people to go to great lengths to avoid it. It was common practice to skip the number when numbering hotel rooms, and the 13th floor of buildings was often labeled as the 14th floor.