Very superstitious

Friday the 13th is once again upon us—the day which prompts some to stay safe behind locked doors fearing bad luck and others to flout as many superstitions as they can think up to disprove luck altogether.

Today, we offer up a brief guide to some of the most well-known superstitions. Whether you’re one of the people who’ll spend their Friday the 13th playing it safe or one of those who will break a mirror while walking under a ladder and holding a black cat, it’s always good to know a little about the things you either fear or find laughable. Plus, every year will harbor at least one, and sometimes as many as three, Friday the 13ths, so you might as well get used to it.

Unlucky Friday the 13th

There are many different theories to what supposedly makes Friday the 13th so unlucky. Quite a few revolve around Christian lore. Friday is considered unlucky and a bad day to start journeys or other ventures because Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The number 13 is considered unlucky because there were 13 guests at the last supper, the last of whom was Judas, who later betrayed Jesus. Friday the 13th is the culmination of both of these bad-luck days, and is thus considered the unluckiest day possible. Other stories revolve around a raid on the secretive Knights Templar in France on Friday the 13th of October 1307, during which many people involved with the order were killed or captured and later tortured.

Walking under a ladder

Basically, there are two schools of thought on why this is unlucky. The first also harkens back to Christianity, wherein the shape of the triangle represents the Holy Trinity. By walking under the triangle of a ladder you are disrupting the Holy Trinity, which puts you in league with the devil, which will cause you to incur God’s wrath. The other explanation for it being bad luck says that in the days before there were gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder. Their spirits allegedly gathered underneath the ladder and by walking through that space, you were guaranteeing your spirit would join those of the hanged persons.

Black cat crossing your path

There are also two basic explanations for this superstition. The first dates back to ancient Egypt where cats were revered, and there was a goddess who took the form of a black cat. During the Christian revolution, the idea was spread that black cats were the vessels for demons, and if one crossed your path it was said that a barrier was created between you and heaven. The second explanation may be derived from the first, since black cats have long been the symbol associated with witches. During the time when witch hunts were prevalent, it was thought that witches could turn into black cats, and by crossing your path, they would take your luck with them.

Breaking a mirror

It was a common ancient belief that the reflection made in a mirror was actually a glimpse of a person’s soul. By breaking a mirror, you disrupted your soul. This would cause seven years bad luck for whomever broke the mirror, because it was thought to take seven years for a soul to renew itself. Although some legends say waiting seven hours before moving the broken pieces and then burying them outside in the moonlight would avoid this.

Spilling salt

For centuries, salt was considered a precious commodity and a purifying substance. The spilling of such a valuable product was supposed to foretell death and misfortune for the person who did the spilling. The only remedy was to throw some over your left shoulder into the eyes of the demons who lurked behind you, so they wouldn’t see the spilled salt. ?