The surprisingly recent invention of Friday the 13th

For anyone who is even a little superstitious (and superstition sometimes feels more like an unavoidable burden than a conscious choice) the arrival of yet another Friday the 13th sends a little chill down the spine.

Yet whatever its psychological effects, Friday the 13th is not one of the ancient unlucky days. There used to be many days in the year, which varied according to region, when it was considered unlucky to do anything because it would inevitably end badly – Epiphany (6 January) in some parts of England, 29 December in others, and even St Martin’s Day (11 November). But these traditions were tied to a day in the calendar rather than a specific day of the week. 

Sunday, of course, has always been an unlucky day for having fun – there are countless folktales about the devil carrying off people who played cards or dice, or went swimming or footballing on Sundays, especially if they did so when the rest of the parish was in church.