TRISKAI

DEKAPHILIA

2013.AD

The approaching of 2013 has stirred up old superstitions around the number thirteen. Some people believe it to be graced with good fortune.

Enjoy a wonderful 2013.

Alan Davis www.alandavis.ie

Triskaidekaphilia (Greek) dfn: Tris meaning three, kai meaning and, deka meaning ten and philia meaning love.

mANy JEWISH PEOPLE believe the collective souls of the Jewish nation can be compared to the thirteen-petalled rose mentioned in the Zohar, a revered text for mystical followers of the Kabbalah school of thought.

13A NumBER IN ITS PRImE. Thirteen is a prime number and is only divisible by itself. This is symbolic of: integrity, purity and an incorruptible nature.

生PRONuNCIATION Of CHINESE PHRASE

生 which means ‘one three’ is considered to have a

similar sound to the pronunciation of the Chinese phrase 生 meaning ‘infinite life’ and so is considered by some to be lucky.

THE ANCIENT EGyPTIANS believed that on the last rung of a thirteen step ladder to eternity, the soul would find everlasting life.

ANCIENT GREEKS believed that Herakles’ twelve labours were followed by a lucky thirteenth – his killing of the lion of Kithaeron for King Thespius, for which the reward was permission to make love to each of the King’s 50 daughters over 50 consecutive nights.

ANCIENT PERSIANS believed that the twelve constellations of the Zodiac controlled the months of the year, and that each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth would collapse into chaos. Hence the number thirteen is identified with chaos and the reason modern Iranians leave their houses to avoid bad luck on the thirteenth day of the Persian Calendar, a tradition called Sizdah Bedar.

THE KNIGHTS TEmPLAR, the legendary order of soldier-monks formed during the Christian Crusades of the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, were ordered to be arrested en mass on Friday 13th October 1307 by King Philip IV of France (who was already in deep financial debt to the order). The Templars went underground and it is believed, subsequently developed into the society of Freemasons.

COSTA CONCORDIA, the largest Italian cruise ship ever built, struck a rock in the Tyrrhenian Sea just off the western coast of Italy at about 9:45pm on January 13th 2012. In calm seas and overcast weather, the crash tore a 50m gash on the port side of the hull. It took over an hour for the ship to sink, and of the 3,229 passengers and 1,023 crew onboard, 30 people died, and two more passengers are still missing, presumed dead.

AT THE LAST SuPPER some Christian traditions believe that Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth person to sit at the table.

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VIKING myTH tells about a night when twelve gods were having a dinner party at Valhalla. The mischievous Loki arrived uninvited, and as thirteenth guest, arranged for Hoder (the blind god of darkness) to shoot Balder the Beautiful (the god of joy and gladness) with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. According to legend, Balder died and the whole Earth got dark and mourned.

The approaching of 2013 has stirred up old superstitions around the number thirteen. Some people believe it to be cursed with bad fortune.

Stay safe in 2013.

Alan Davis www.alandavis.ie

Triskaidekaphobia (Greek) dfn: Tris meaning three, kai meaning and, deka meaning ten and phobia meaning fear.

2013.AD

TRISKAI

DEKAPHOBIA