01/14/2017
Friday the Thirteenth Facts:
• The apprehension surrounding Friday the 13th may have biblical origins, as Christ's crucifixion is believed to have taken place on a Friday. Thirteen was also the number of guests present at the Last Supper, and the apostle Judas, who would later betray Jesus with the infamous Kiss of Judas, supposedly was the 13th person seated at the table, according to the New Testament.
• On Friday, Oct. 13, 1989, the U.S. stock exchange suffered a major crash. The day is sometimes referred to as "Black Friday."
• British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, was born on Aug. 13, 1899, which was a Friday. He was supposed to make his directorial debut with a film called "Number 13," which never saw the light of the day owing to financial troubles.
• The Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapels in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., offers special zombie, vampire and horror-themed wedding ceremonies on Friday the 13th.
• For a month to have a Friday on the 13th day, it must begin on a Sunday.
• Pop star Taylor Swift believes 13 is her lucky number and has some connections with Friday the 13th. "I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro," she told MTV in 2009.
• Friday the 13th occurs twice in 2017 – in January and October.