Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday the 13th

This day is an occasion to highlight the best on-line calendar I have found: Wilson's Almanac. If you navigate to February 13th or click here, you will find an exhaustive list of quotes from people born on this day, ancient festivals that were held during this time, cultural traditions (this being Valentine's Day Eve), Christian saints for whom this is the feast day, international festivals and observances held today, notable people born on February 13th, and a large chronological section of events that occured on this day in history. Today's events included the execution of Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard (c. 1521-1542); the first bank robbery by American outlaw Jesse James (1847-1882), who is pictured in his coffin; the opening of King Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter (pictured); and the bombing of Dresden, Germany, by Allied Forces in World War II (represented by the photo of an incinerated messenger boy). For more about the superstitions about and fear of Friday the 13th (paraskavedekatriaphobia), start here.

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