Friday the 13th (today) and World Kindness Day fall on the same date this year.
This create an unusual clash: one of the world's best-known superstitions vs a global celebration encouraging people to do good.
For some, Friday the 13th is a day associated with bad luck, accidents and misfortune.
For others, November 13 is an opportunity to spread kindness through simple gestures, volunteer work and acts of generosity.
'Coincidence'
The coincidence offers an interesting contrast: while superstition tells people to watch out for bad luck, World Kindness Day encourages them to create something positive.
And there is no scientific evidence that Friday the 13th is inherently more unlucky than any other Friday.
Why is Friday the 13th considered “unlucky”?
The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th has roots in centuries-old Western beliefs about the number 13 and the day Friday.
The number 12 has traditionally been associated with completeness: 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs.
The number 12 universally represents cosmic order, completeness, harmony, and structural balance across various cultures, religions, and timekeeping systems.
One explanation links the superstition to the Last Supper, where Jesus dined with 12 apostles, making 13 people at the table.
Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was traditionally identified as the 13th guest. Good Friday, meanwhile, is associated with the crucifixion of Jesus.
