Millions of people around the globe consider the number thirteen to be unlucky. There is even a name for it:
triskaidekaphobia - the fear of number 13.
It is considered to be bad luck by many in the Western culture to dine with 13 people at the table.
This may be because of the Last Supper - Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disiples betrayed Jesus.
The fashionable Savoy Hotel in London, England does not take any chances. If you book a table for a party of thirteen, you will find that the table has been set for fourteen guests. Kasper, the black cat will be joining you for dinner. Kasper is the three foot sculpture cat that resides at the Savoy Hotel. Kasper will be placed in the fourteenth chair. Naturally, Kasper will be served all the courses of the meal. Kasper has resided at the hotel since the 1920s. Sir Winston Churchill was particulary fond of Kasper.
Friday, October 13, 1307 King Philip IV (Philip the Fair) ordered the arrest of the Templars in France. They were tortured and forced to give false confessions and then burned on the stake. The French Templars had great wealth and Philip IV had been in dept to them.
The Aztecs considered thirteen to be a very sacred number. It was the number of time and stood for completion. An Aztec week lasted for thirteen days. The Aztecs measured time in series of 52, which was 13x4.
Thirteen is the age when children officially become teenagers.
In Judaism, a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah at the age of thirteen. Bar Mitzvah means "Son of the Commandment". He is now answerable to the religious duties.
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The number thirteen is considered very good omen at Colgate University in Madison county, New York. It is told the school was founded by thirteen men, with thirteen dollars and thirteen prayers. The address of Colgate University is 13 Oak Drive. The school is now named in honor of the soap-maker, William Colgate, who created Colgate-Palmolive. He was deeply involved in the school.
The business woman, Mary Kay Ash believed thirteen was a very lucky number. The company was founded Friday, September 13, 1963. The Mary Kay headquaters has thirteen floors and thirteen passenger elevators.
There are thirteen loaves in a "bakers dozen". This dates back to medieval England, when punishment was severe for bakers who cheated their customers. To be on the safe side, a free loaf was given with every dozen sold.
The first day of the Thai New Year (Songkran) is April 13th. Be prepared to get soaking wet. A big part of the celebration is to splash water on other people, strangers as well as friends. Anything may be used for this purpose: gardens hoses, water guns, buckets and so on. The splashing of water is a symbol of washing the bad away.
Apollo13 was the third manned spacecraft intended to land on the moon. It launced April 11, 1970 at 13:13 CST. On April 13th an onboard explosion forced the mission to be aborted. Despite extreme danger and hardship, the crew returned saftly to earth.
December 13th is the day of the Saint Lucia celebration. It is very popular in Scandinavia. A young girl will dress up as Lucia wearing a white robe and a crown with candles on her head. A special Lucia song is sung and saffron buns are eaten called "Lussekatter". 
A lace anniversary celebrates the thirteenth year.
Rhode Island became the 13th state of the United States. (May 29, 1790)
There are 13 stripes in the flag of USA.
13 men signed the Declaration of Independence on January 13, 1794
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743.
The number 13 and the dollar bill. There are 13 bars on the shield. There are 13 leaves on the olive branch. There are 13 fruits. There are 13 arrows. There are 13 stars above the eagle. There are 13 plums of feathers on each of the eagle's wings. There are 13 steps on the Pyramid.
There are 13 letters in "E PLURIBUS UNUM" meaning "Out of many, one". There are 13 letters in "ANNUIT COEPTIS" meaning "God has favored our undertaking".
May 13, 1917, three young children claimed they had seen and spoken to Our Lady of Fatima (Our Lady 
of Fatima is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary), in Fatima, Portugal. She is also called "Our Lady of the Rosary". They were told she would return on the 13th day for six months.
