Try saying Paraskevidekariaphobe three times fast but, please, not thirteen! Today on this most superstitious day, Friday the thirteenth, this phobia affects millions of Americans. During the next 24 period, many seemingly-practical people will refuse to work, drive, shop, or even get married in fear of running into bad luck.

Stemming all the way back into ancient times, two combining factors give this superstition the frightening power it holds over our ‘advanced’ society today, causing some to fret when even the tiniest portion of salt is spilled: the mythological and theological aspects of the significance of the day Friday, and the number thirteen throughout history.

Good Friday, the Great Flood, Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, the destruction of the Temple of Solomon: This list contains many renowned Christian Bible stories all of which allegedly occurred on a Friday. Early-Christians considered these Fridays Holy Days however, as time progressed, myths about witches were created which transformed Fridays into “unholy Sabbaths.”

Beginning with the early Egyptians the number, 13, had crucial significance in the mummification process. This procedure consisted of 12 stages, and after having them completed, ‘13’ was the final destination: death. Over time, 13 turned into a bad omen- a definite sign for misfortune or worse…

A popular urban myth tells a tale of the British Royal Navy trying to dispel the tradition of ships never setting sail on Fridays for fear of impending bad luck and doom. In the nineteenth century a ship named HMS Friday was launched on a Friday and set on her maiden voyage on Friday the thirteenth under command of captain James Friday. She was never heard from or seen again.

As these culturual beliefs traveled with time, two sides evolved. The superstitious, those who make every and all efforts to avoid sidewalk cracks with a deep concern for their moms’ backs, and others who simply laugh while stepping on the lines of the sidewalk, disregarding any silly belief.

Sophomore Maggie Dolph tells the Announcer, “I don’t really believe in the Friday the thirteenth superstition but I think the way people take this day so seriously is amusing and the traditions are interesting!” Sophomore Katherine Cullinan agrees, shrugging off any possibility of attaining bad luck; while many other Naz students simply enjoy the spooky Friday because they are eager to watch the upcoming Friday the 13th movie marathon.

However, the British Medical Journal suggests an interesting statistic: “Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospitaladmission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent.”

So as you go throughout your day, Paraskevidekariaphobe or not, be on the lookout for crossing black cats, fragile mirrors nearby, and ladders coming out of the blue, for who truly knows the power behind Friday the thirteenth?