13 Things You Didn't Know About: Friday the 13th

13, and Friday the 13^th, have only been 'unlucky' for 700 years. Before that, they were 'lucky'.

Among the reasons the number was sacred: its place in the Fibonacci sequence (1,1,2,3,5,8,13...), which, for reasons yet unknown, the natural world strongly embodies.

Friday was also sacred in the dim and misty: in English, the day it takes its name from Freya, a pagan fertility goddess.

The reason for the change: on Friday, October 13^th, 1307, all across Europe, the Knights Templar were summarily executed for sympathizing with pagans (heresy). The entire order was wiped out by Papal decree in the most coordinated military action in history.

Now 13 is considered by Christians' to be 'the devil's number'.

This, despite the fact that Jesus and his 12 disciples numbered 13 holy men.

Unless one believes in a more historical Jesus - in which case, Mary Magdalene makes it 13 disciples.

Because of its history, the number 13 has come to be associated with death.

For example, a proper noose has 13 wraps in its coil.

Likewise, the steps leading up to a gallows traditionally number 13.

So influential was "bloody" Friday the 13^th, the majority of skyscrapers do not have a 13^th floor.

In Florence, Italy, there are no '13' addresses. The houses between 12 and 14 are labeled "12 1/2".

13 is so unlucky, in fact, that dice only roll up to 12, clocks have 12 hours, many foods come in dozens, and even Christmas has only 12 days. All these come this way so that no one will have to deal with a '13^th'.