By luck or misfortune, today is Friday the 13th.

No black cats or walking under ladders; some people even won't leave the house today because it's Friday the 13th. The biggest mystery surrounding the date, however, is understanding why so many people consider it an unlucky day. One of the supposed origins of this superstition is part of the history of Christianity. Jesus was followed by 12 apostles, and since he was crucified on a Friday, the combination of the number of followers, plus Christ, with the day of the week came to represent sacrifice for Christians.
Another version comes from Viking mythology (the people who inhabited the Scandinavian countries in Northern Europe) – the goddess of love, Friga, to take revenge on the Christians who wanted to end the ancient religion of the Nordic countries, met every Friday with 11 witches and a demon to curse the Catholics.
Cabal
"The number 13 is not really a number with positive vibrations, but there is nothing that links it to bad luck when combined with Friday," states the Kabbalist Maxsehn. Two Kabbalistic calculations he made with the date June 13, 2003, indicate that today is a day of neutral vibrations.
According to philosopher Izabel Furini, people fear the number 13 because it represents the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. This is why the number is associated with the Death card in tarot, a card of change. "Closing a cycle is always a sacrifice," says Izabel Furini.
According to state representative Natálio Stica, from the PT party, there's no reason to be afraid. "Last year I competed with the number 13013, and in '97 I was a two-time champion in the brands category with a car numbered 13. The number 13 has been with me at least 13 times," he jokes.
In the PT party (Workers' Party), Stica is no exception. The Secretary of State for Labor, Employment and Social Promotion, Father Roque Zimmermann, also from the PT, says that 13 has always been his lucky number. It's no coincidence that he chose a number ending in 1313 for his cell phone. He recounts that on a trip from São Paulo to Mato Grosso, he stopped in the city of Assis and, without realizing it, sat at a table numbered 13. "It was one of the most rewarding trips of my life," he says.
Forecasting
According to the Egyptian astrologer's prediction, this Friday is a good opportunity for those experiencing relationship problems to make peace. "Every Friday is Venus's day, the goddess of love. Today, the 13th, is a special day to let go of what is bad in the relationship," she explains.
Gazeta do Povo (PR) – Patrícia Künzel