When most people hear the phrase “Friday the 13th” their minds immediately jump to scenes from the 1980s horror flick of the same name or images of black cats and misfortunate events. However, this date didn’t always have such unlucky connotations. This date has historical connections to the planet Venus, the Roman goddess Venus, and the Norse goddess Freyja. Friday is the fifth day of the week and the planet Venus has five orbital conjunctions with Earth in its cycle. Venus also makes thirteen orbits around the sun during this cycle, thus the connections to Friday the 13th.
Fridays used to be days of celebration in pagan culture and the number thirteen was considered sacred because of the thirteen moon and menstrual cycles that occur annually, which are further ties to femininity. Friday was also considered the day of Venus and Freya, the goddesses of love, beauty, and sensuality, and was meant to be a day to celebrate the sensual, sexual, and creative energy within ourselves. The number thirteen also has meanings of rebirth, creation, fertility and blood, all of which are considered elements of the feminine. Even the word “Friday” itself is thought to have originated from the name Freya and the French word for Friday, “vendredi” is believed to have come from Venus, which displays a further connection to these feminine goddesses. These goddesses have always been some of my favorites from mythology, so I have consistently felt more drawn to their stories and things associated with them.
There is also a connection to the number thirteen and my favorite singer, Taylor Swift. She was born on December 13th and is known for writing the number 13 on her left hand before concerts or using the number in clues for album releases or events and often releases a lot of her music on Fridays. I’m even considering getting a tattoo of the number 13 on my wrist in honor of Taylor’s signature mark. This is yet another positive connection to Friday the 13th for me, which makes me even more determined to reclaim it for the positive symbol it is.
For too long, Friday the 13th has only been seen in an unfavorable light which is so different from its historical connections. It’s time to honor its original meanings and its connections to femininity. This date is a chance to celebrate the divine feminine and embrace the feminine energy within ourselves. I plan to claim its meaning and use it as a chance to celebrate myself, my femininity, and the femininity around me.