Paraskevidekatriaphobia: "The Fear of Friday the 13th"
The word "paraskevidekatriaphobia" was created by Dr. Donald Dossey who told his patients that "when you learn to pronounce it, you're cured!"

The Number 13:
It is said that if 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year. Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue. Floors in tall buildings don't have a 13th floor and often skip from 12 to 14. You will never find a 13th gate at the airport. There are 13 witches in a coven. There were 13 people at The Last Supper.

Loki, the most evil of the Norse gods "The God of Mischief" went uninvited to a party for 12 at Valhalla, a banquet hall of the gods. As a result, he caused the death of Balder, the god of light, joy, and reconciliation. The Apollo 13 was launched on April the 13th at 13:13 local time on Pad 39 (3 times 13). If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck (Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Jason Voorhees all have 13 letters in their names).

Friday:
It is said that you should never change your bed on Friday or it will bring bad dreams. Don't start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune. If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow. Friday is believed to be the day that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday. The Crucifixion took place on a Friday.

Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck - as in the tale of H.M.S. Friday. Over one hundred years ago, the British government sought to stop once and for all the widespread superstition among sailors that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned, named "H.M.S. Friday." They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. To top it off, H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage on a Friday, and was never seen or heard from again. Since then, ships are not usually launched on that date.

When did this modern day superstition start? The basis for this superstition stems from the events that took place on Friday, October 13, 1307. On that day, the Pope of the Roman Catholic church, in combination with the King of France, sentenced the "the Knights Templar" to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion of their leader. In revenge, the last Grand Master - Jaques DeMolay - cursed the Pope and the King of France to die within the year. Which they both did.

So on the next Friday the 13th. Will you stay inside or will you be brave enough to venture outside on this cursed day?