OCU refutes popular myth about Friday the 13th
13 September 2024 09:21
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has refuted the popular myth that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. This is stated in the explanation of the press service of the OCU, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“Of course, it is not. This is another superstition that only shows weakness of faith and lack of self-confidence. No numbers, like the days of the week, month or calendar year, carry any “magic power” and do not affect our lives either negatively or positively. we, the people, make them “good” or “bad” days. And if we want, we can make Friday, 13th, a very happy and useful day,” the statement said.
The OCU noted that the name of such a phobia is paraskavedekatriaphobia, and it did not come from our culture, it was borrowed through cinema, literature, art, etc.
“There are also myths that try to link this ‘unlucky’ number to biblical history. For example, that Satan was supposedly the ’13th angel’. But this is not true, as there are countless angels, and it is simply impossible to count them. They also try to tie in the allegation that Judas the traitor was the thirteenth at the Last Supper. Yes, we know that the Lord Jesus Christ and His 12 closest disciples, the apostles, were present. But who exactly was the 13th of them, and where, from which region, should such a “count” be made?” the statement reads.
The OCU noted that in some other cultures, the combination of the day and day of the week for unlucky days is different: in Greece, Romania and Spanish-speaking countries, it is not Friday but Tuesday the 13th. In Italy, the number 17 is considered “unlucky.” The Chinese and Japanese consider the numbers 4 and 9 unlucky, and in India, they do not like 8.
