It’s Friday the 13th. In 2020. Here’s a brief history about the superstitious date and some hilarious tweets to get you through the day.

Say what you will, but we all have a superstition or two we can’t seem to shake…

We’ve reached the second Friday the 13th of 2020.

No less than one day each year, the Gregorian calendar aligns to what is widely considered an unlucky date — perhaps especially among the 44% of Americans who consider themselves to be a little superstitious. 

Maybe you particularly avoid walking under ladders on Friday. Or breaking a mirror and encountering a black cat’s path. But why?

The fears of Friday the 13th have been around for generations — some tracing its origins back to the ancient Code of Hammurabi or crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Christian beliefs. But, in 2020, people are being extra cautious this year.

Here’s what you need to know.

Not just Friday the 13th: These are considered ‘unlucky dates’ around the world

More: 13 terrifying movies to watch on Friday the 13th (beyond the obvious ‘Friday’ films)

Why Friday? Why the 13th?

According to History.com, Western cultures have “historically associated the number 12 with completeness” — with examples ranging from 12 months in the calendar or days of Christmas, to the 12 gods of Olympus. But 13 has a long record of bad luck.

For example, the ancient Code of Hammurabi, one of the oldest legal codes (written in the 1700s B.C.), reportedly left out a 13th law. The absence was probably a clerical or translation error, but some still point to it for adding negative connotations of the number.

In addition, according to Christian beliefs, 13 guests are said to have attended the Last Supper. And Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, is considered to have been the 13th guest.

And why Friday? Jesus was crucified on a Friday and, ever since, the day has been associated with “general ill omen,” Michael Bailey, a history professor at Iowa State University who specializes in the origins of superstitions, previously told USA TODAY Network. Weddings in the Middle Ages, for instance, were not held on Fridays and it was not a day someone would start a journey, Bailey said.

It’s unclear how and why Friday and the number 13 first became linked, but the unlucky date inspired a 19th century secret society and 20th century pop culture — including the 1907 novel “Friday, the Thirteenth” and 1980 horror film “Friday the 13th.” And the superstition has bled outside of stories — even today, many hotels don’t have a 13th floor.

Hilarious tweets to get you through Friday the 13th during a pandemic

The fears of the date have not been forgotten in the modern era — especially this November. On Friday, social media overflowed with posts about the first Friday the 13th since March, and extra caution needed in a year like 2020.

Here’s a look at some of the most popular tweets.

Contributing: Lori Grisham, USA TODAY Network.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/13/friday-13-superstitions-2020-history/6277960002/