Yes, you read the title right. Not Friday the 13th, Friday the 17th. Italians believe that Friday the 17th is a superstitiously unlucky day. Check out the true meaning behind this superstition and how you can prevent yourself from having an unlucky day.
For many Italians, the number 17 resembles a man hanging. The 1 is the man and the 7 is where he s hanging from. It sounds a little farfetched, but another reason why the number 17 is unlucky for Italians is because if you take a look at the Roman numeral for 17, it’s written XVII. Rearrange the characters and you’ll get “VIXI.”
What does VIXI mean? It’s an old term that the Ancient Romans would carve onto tombstones meaning, “He Lived.” For Italians, this phrase signifies death as “He Lived” is from the past.
Why Friday? Because it is believed that Jesus died on this day making it an already unlucky day in itself.
Most buildings in Italy don’t have the 17th floor, that’s how strongly they believe about the unluckiness of the number 17. Even the airline Alitalia doesn’t have a 17th row of seats. (They also don’t have a 13th row just to be extra cautious).
Now that you understand the meaning behind the superstitious day of Friday the 17th, it’s now time to prevent you from having an unlucky day.
You’ll Need One or All of the Following:
• A corno necklace or charm
• A mano cornuto necklace or charm
• A cross necklace (believed to always protect you)
What do you think of this Italian superstition? Was today unlucky for you? Let us know in the comments.
Sources:
Main Photo by Hardcore Calabrese
