For many people, one look at the calendar today will make them very nervous. Some will nurse mild anxiety while others will suffer full-blown panic attacks and reschedule all their meetings.

And yet, for others, Friday 13 is no different than any other day. Millions of people will still fly, go to work, and plan an evening out.

A fear of the number 13 is so ingrained in cultures that it has its own name – triskaidekaphobia – which comes from the Greek word for 13.

It is not clear when the number 13 got its cursed reputation, but there are a number of theories. The phobia might have developed from the New Testament or Ancient Norse mythology.

In ancient Rome and Britain, people were executed on Fridays

It is said that Judas Iscariot was the 13th man to sit at the table in the Last Supper.

Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.

Similarly, there’s a Norse legend about a gathering of 12 benevolent gods who were sitting down to a banquet and Loki, a mischievous and trickster god, crashed the party, making 13. In the melee that followed, one of the benevolent gods were killed.

These stories, however, are all speculation.

The fear of the number 13 gets worse when combined with a particular day – Friday. The fear of Friday 13, officially friggatriskaidekaphobia, likely sprang from European history, when Friday was considered taboo because it was a day when executioners hung prisoners – in ancient Rome and Britain, people were executed on Fridays.

Mathematicians have said the reputation of the number 13 might have suffered because it comes straight after 12, which was considered a perfect number in the ancient world – there are 12 months in a year, and each day is formed of two 12-hour parts. However, experts dismiss any unease that might be associated with the figure, suggesting that the bad luck associated with the number has been imposed on it by society.

This year, two instances of Friday 13 occur – today and in October. Should we be scared?

Vincent Borg (left) with Juventus coach Massimiliano AllegriVincent Borg (left) with Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri

It’s a game

Number 13 treated Juventus supporter Vincent Borg to dinner with Massimiliano Allegri.

The connection between the number 13 and bad luck has even found its way into football. This can most clearly be illustrated by the choice of clubs to use 12 and 14 rather than the more logical 12 and 13.

Some clubs have a number 13 squad shirt, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Juventus and Roma and not all players believe it’s bad luck. In fact, some players even think that 13 is a lucky number. Former German national team midfield maestro Michael Ballack and legendary Italian defender Alessandro Nesta both wore the number 13 shirt.

Clayton FaillaClayton Failla

Locally, Clayton Failla wears the number 13 shirt for Paola’s Premier League club Hibernians. Failla believes a person’s fortunes correspond to his perception. Unlucky for many but not, it would seem, for Failla who cherishes the number.

“Challenges are unavoidable in life and, knowing that others believed it brought bad luck, I’ve always wanted to wear that number,” said the Malta international wing back.

It means a lot to him and is a source of motivation to up his game on the pitch.

“The ‘bizarre’ number turned out to be lucky for me,” said Failla, who has won two league titles, four FA trophies, two Super Cup medals, and was twice named as the Malta FA Player of the Year.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri refuses to be 13 at a table because he considers it to be an unlucky number.

Vincent Borg, a keen Juve supporter, discovered this recently.

“I was recently eating with my friends at Il Ponte in Turin when the owner of the restaurant, Samuele, was asked by Allegri to ask another diner to join him at the table, so that the coach wouldn’t sit at a table with 13 diners.

“I happened to be the lucky one,” Borg said, adding that during his dinner with Allegri, he found out that they were both born on the same day – August 11, 1967 – roughly at 7am.

He still wonders whether it was a coincidence or not.

Despite his luck, Borg is extra cautions on Friday 13.

“I associate the number with bad luck.”

So what are the most common superstitions?

■ ‘Touch wood’ – many people use the saying to reverse any bad luck that might come their way, due to a recent action they have taken or comment they have made.

■  Crossing fingers – often used when wishing someone good luck or by children telling a white lie.

■  Avoiding ladders – many theories of why people don’t walk under ladders exist but some believe this superstition arises from a Christian belief in the Holy Trinity: Since a ladder leaning against a wall forms a triangle, “breaking” that triangle was blasphemous.

■  Breaking a mirror – folklore suggests breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck. In the old days, this led to many people covering their mirrors if someone in the house died.

■  Black cat crossing your path – this superstition arises from old beliefs in witches and their animal familiars, which were often said to take the form of domestic animals like cats.

■ Opening an umbrella indoors – there are many tales as to how this superstition came about – including the story of a British prince who accepted two umbrellas from a visiting king and died within months.

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