Friday the 13th, the supposedly unluckiest day of the year, has arrived, with many Britons fearing what the day entails.

From the terror of walking under ladders and breaking mirrors to putting new shoes on a table and finding a lone magpie, we Britons are conscious of several eerie superstitions. And in recent years, Friday the 13th has become a superstition in itself.

But why is the day thought to bring bad luck, and how have its origins led to the increase in paranoia? Here is everything you need to know about the unlucky calendar date including the things to avoid and the perks you can enjoy, if you're willing to take a risk.

How often does Friday the 13th occur each year?

Friday the 13th occurs at least once a year but no more than three times a year; in 2020, it falls in March and November. Next year, our bad luck will be kept to a minimum, with just one occurrence in August.

Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

It is uncertain how this calendar date became associated with bad luck, but the number 13 has been considered unlucky for some time.

Friday the 13th was first mentioned in a biography of Gioachino Rossini, an Italian composer, who coincidentally died on Friday, Nov 13, 1868.

Thomas W. Lawson, an American businessman, is believed to have encouraged the superstition, after his book, Friday the Thirteenth, was published in 1907. In the novel, a stockbroker causes panic on Wall Street, blaming it on the unlucky day.

Both Friday and the number 13 have also been linked to several Christian beliefs. Some historians claim biblical events, including the story of Adam and Eve, the great flood during the time of Noah and the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel, all took place on a Friday.

Most notably, the Last Supper, on Maundy Thursday, was attended by Jesus and his 12 apostles, including Judas, who betrayed him.

The day after the 13 guests attended the supper was Good Friday, Jesus’s crucifixion, with some Christians suggesting that the number of people at the table was evil and encouraged death.

Unlucky events that have happened on Friday the 13th

One of the earliest events associated with Friday the 13th dates back to October, 1307, where officers of King Philip IV of France imprisoned and later executed hundreds of the Knights Templar, a religious, military group who sought to defend the Holy Land.