Overview
- Latest explainers trace the taboo to a fusion of symbols: Tuesday’s link to Mars and conflict with the number 13’s religious and mythic baggage from the Last Supper, Norse lore and Tarot’s Death card.
- Reports often cite historical touchstones used to reinforce the fear, notably the fall of Constantinople on a Tuesday in 1453.
- The superstition shapes choices and administration, from the proverb warning “en martes 13, ni te cases ni te embarques” to postponing weddings, trips and contracts and omitting the number 13 in floors, rooms or seats.
- Regional custom differs, with Spanish‑speaking cultures focusing on Tuesday the 13th while many Anglo countries treat Friday the 13th as the unlucky date.
- Coverage notes psychological self‑fulfilling effects, as some numerology and astrology voices reframe 13 as a marker of endings and transformation rather than inherent misfortune.