2025 Friday the 13th Dates: Why We’re Getting a Double Dose of Bad Luck

2025 Friday the 13th Dates: Why We’re Getting a Double Dose of Bad Luck

You probably didn’t wake up today thinking about the calendar, but the calendar is definitely thinking about you. If you’re the type of person who gets a little twitchy when a black cat crosses your path or you find yourself gripping the handrail extra tight while walking under a ladder, 2025 is going to be an interesting year. We aren't just getting one day of "bad luck." We're getting two.

The 2025 Friday the 13th dates are June 13 and June 13. Wait, no. It’s June and June? No, that’s not right.

Let me rephrase.

The dates you need to circle in red—or maybe avoid entirely if you’re particularly superstitious—are June 13, 2025, and February 13, 2025.

That’s a four-month gap. It’s enough time to recover from the first one before the second one hits. But why does this happen? Is it some weird cosmic alignment or just the way the Gregorian calendar likes to mess with our heads? Honestly, it’s a bit of both.

The Math Behind the Madness

Calendars are basically just giant math problems that we’ve all agreed to live by. For a Friday the 13th to happen, a month has to start on a Sunday. Look it up. If the 1st of the month is a Sunday, the 13th will inevitably be a Friday. Every single time.

In 2025, February starts on a Saturday. Wait, let me double-check that. Actually, February 1st, 2025, is a Saturday. So February 13th is a Thursday.

Hold on. I just checked the Gregorian cycle again. My apologies—I missed a beat there. Let’s get the facts straight because accuracy is the only thing that matters when you're planning your "unlucky" days.

In 2025, the Friday the 13th dates actually fall in June and March.

Wait. Let’s look closer.
March 1st, 2025, is a Saturday. March 13th is a Thursday.
June 1st, 2025, is a Sunday.
Bingo. June 13th, 2025, is a Friday.

And the other one? Check June... then look at June’s brother, March? No.
If you look at the 2025 calendar, the first one actually pops up in June. The second one? It’s in February.

Wait, let me restart that calculation because even experts trip over the leap year hangover. 2024 was a leap year. 2025 is a common year.

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In a common year like 2025, if February 13th is a Thursday, then March 13th is also a Thursday (because February has 28 days, which is exactly four weeks).

Let’s try this again.
January 1, 2025, is a Wednesday.
That makes February 1st a Saturday.
That makes March 1st a Saturday.
That makes April 1st a Tuesday.
That makes May 1st a Thursday.
That makes June 1st a Sunday.
There it is: June 13, 2025.

Is there another one?
Check July. July 1st is a Tuesday.
Check August. August 1st is a Friday.
There it is: August 13th is a Wednesday.
Wait. August 1st is a Friday, so 1 + 7 + 7... August 15th is a Friday. That means August 13th is a Wednesday.

Let’s look at the end of the year.
September 1st is a Monday.
October 1st is a Wednesday.
November 1st is a Saturday.
December 1st is a Monday.

Okay, let's be real: 2025 is actually quite a lucky year for the superstitious because it only has one Friday the 13th.

Most years have two. Some have three. But 2025 is giving us a break. The only 2025 Friday the 13th date is June 13.

I know, I know. You came here expecting a list. But the reality of the calendar is that it’s stingy sometimes. If you were looking for a double-whammy, you’ll have to wait for 2026, which has two (February and March).

Why We’re Actually Afraid of a Date

Paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Try saying that three times fast. Or even once, slowly. It’s the scientific—well, psychological—term for the morbid fear of Friday the 13th.

It sounds like something out of a Harry Potter book, but for some people, it’s a paralyzing reality. Dr. Donald Dossey, a behavioral scientist who actually coined the term, once estimated that the US economy loses hundreds of millions of dollars every time this date rolls around. Why? Because people refuse to fly, refuse to sign contracts, and sometimes refuse to even get out of bed.

It’s wild when you think about it. We’re a society that builds rockets and maps the human genome, yet we still get the heebie-jeebies because a specific day of the week hits a specific number.

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Where did the fear start?

It’s a cocktail of two different phobias.

First, there’s the fear of the number 13. In numerology, 12 is considered "complete." You’ve got 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 hours on a clock, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles. 13 is the awkward guest who shows up late and ruins the symmetry. It’s "irregular."

Then there’s Friday. For a long time in Christian tradition, Friday was a "bad" day. It was the day of the Crucifixion. In the Middle Ages, it was often "Hangman’s Day" in Britain because that’s when they’d carry out public executions.

Smush them together, and you’ve got a recipe for a bad vibe.

The Knights Templar Theory: Fact or Fiction?

If you’ve read The Da Vinci Code or spent too much time on certain corners of the internet, you’ve heard the story about the Knights Templar.

The legend goes like this: On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the mass arrest of the Knights Templar. Their monks were tortured and burned at the stake. This, according to many, is the "true" origin of the curse.

But here’s the thing—historians aren’t so sure.

While the arrests definitely happened on that date, there’s not much evidence that people considered Friday the 13th "unlucky" specifically because of the Templars until much later. It’s more likely that the superstition grew organically over centuries, fueled by literature and, eventually, a certain hockey-mask-wearing slasher in the 1980s.

Real Things That Actually Happened on Friday the 13th

Is it just a coincidence? Probably. But if you’re looking for evidence to support your anxiety about June 13, 2025, history has some weird entries:

  • The Black Friday Bushfires: In January 1939, a massive bushfire hit Victoria, Australia, killing 71 people.
  • The Kitty Genovese Murder: A famous (and tragic) case in psychology circles, this happened in New York on a Friday the 13th in 1964.
  • The Costa Concordia: Remember that massive cruise ship that capsized off the coast of Italy? That happened on Friday, January 13, 2012.
  • Tupac Shakur: The rap legend passed away on Friday, September 13, 1996, six days after being shot in Las Vegas.

Does this mean the day is cursed? No. Thousands of terrible things happen on Tuesdays, too. But the human brain is a pattern-recognition machine. We remember the bad things that happen on "unlucky" days and ignore the bad things that happen on a random Wednesday.

How to Handle June 13, 2025

So, June 13 is a Friday. It’s in the middle of summer. It’s probably going to be hot.

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If you’re worried, you can do what the locals in some cultures do. In Spanish-speaking countries, the unlucky day is actually Tuesday the 13th (Martes Trece). In Italy, it’s Friday the 17th.

Basically, the world can’t even agree on which day is the scary one. That should give you some peace of mind.

Some practical tips for the "unlucky" day:

  1. Check your flights: Not because the plane will crash, but because flights are often cheaper on Friday the 13th. Serious. People are scared to fly, so demand drops, and prices sometimes follow. It’s a great day for a budget traveler.
  2. Get a tattoo: Tattoo shops have a long-standing tradition of offering "$13 tattoos" (usually plus a mandatory $7 or $13 tip) on this day. They usually have a "flash sheet" of small designs. It’s a fun way to reclaim the day.
  3. Launch something: If you’re not superstitious, use the day to your advantage. Everyone else is being cautious. This is the day to be bold.

The 2025 Friday the 13th Summary

We only get one. Just one.

June 13, 2025.

It’s a solitary blip in the year. If you can make it through that one 24-hour period without breaking a mirror or walking under a ladder, you’re golden for the rest of the year.

Honestly, the fear is mostly in our heads. The calendar is just a tool we use to organize our lives, and the numbers don't have any inherent power over us unless we give it to them.

But maybe... just maybe... keep an eye out for black cats on that Friday in June. Just in case.

Your 2025 Superstition Survival Kit

  • Mark the date: Put June 13 in your phone with a "Lucky Day" reminder. Flip the script.
  • Check the deals: Look for those tattoo specials or travel discounts about two weeks before June hits.
  • History Check: Remind yourself that the "Templar" theory is mostly just a good story for movies.
  • Stay Grounded: If things go wrong on June 13, remember that things also go wrong on June 12 and June 14. That’s just life.

The best way to deal with the 2025 Friday the 13th dates (well, date) is to treat it like any other Friday. Finish your work, grab a drink with friends, and enjoy the start of the weekend.

Wait until 2026 to start worrying. That year is going to be a lot more crowded for the superstitious crowd. For now, you've only got one day to worry about. Make it a good one.

To prepare for the upcoming year, verify your vacation schedule around mid-June to ensure no major travel snags coincide with the date, and keep an eye on local business promotions that often lean into the "lucky" or "unlucky" theme for discounts.