Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
Encyclopedia
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (derived from Ancient Greek roots ἑξακόσιοι (six hundred), ἑξήκοντα (sixty), and ἕξ (six); literally meaning "fear of [the number] six hundred sixty-six") is the fear
that originated from the Biblical verse Revelation
13:18
, which indicates that the number is the Number of the Beast
, linked to Satan
or the Anti-Christ.
and Ronald Reagan
who, in 1979, when moving to their home in the Bel-Air
section of Los Angeles
, had its address—666 St. Cloud Road—changed to 668 St. Cloud Road.
The phobia
has been a motif in various horror film
s such as The Omen
and the 2006 remake of The Omen
. The number of the beast also appears in other crime film
s such as Pulp Fiction
.
Some women also expressed concern on giving birth to a child on June 6, 2006 (06/06/06). When the BBC News Magazine Monitor
made the definition of "hexakosioihexekontahexaphobiac" the subject of its "Daily Mini-Quiz" for June 5, 2006, it announced on June 6 that 88.8% of the respondents got the answer right.
Another example of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia comes from the Dutch Christian organisation Stichting Opwekking
("Revival Foundation"). When their songbook would have reached the number 666 in May 2007 they decided to skip the number "because of the sensitivity amongst people". Another reason for excluding this number was that it would be the last song of that year: they release new Christian songs in their Revival
songbook every year around Pentecost
and the number 666 would be on the front page of their songbook. As a result the Revival songbook skips from 665 to 667. Christian critics described this exclusion as a superstitious
act.
that originated from the Biblical verse Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
13:18
The Beast (Bible)
The Beast of Revelation, may refer to two beasts in the apocalyptic visions by John of Patmos, as written in the Book of Revelation. The first beast comes from "out of the sea". The second beast comes from "out of the earth" and directs all peoples of the earth to worship the first. This first...
, which indicates that the number is the Number of the Beast
Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast is a term in the Book of Revelation, of the New Testament, that is associated with the first Beast of Revelation chapter 13, the Beast of the sea. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of the Beast is...
, linked to Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
or the Anti-Christ.
Examples
A prominent example is NancyNancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
who, in 1979, when moving to their home in the Bel-Air
Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California
Bel Air is an affluent residential community in the hills of the Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. Together with Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills it forms the Platinum Triangle of Los Angeles neighborhoods....
section of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, had its address—666 St. Cloud Road—changed to 668 St. Cloud Road.
The phobia
Phobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...
has been a motif in various horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
s such as The Omen
The Omen
An original score for the film, including the movie's theme song Ave Satani, was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received the only Oscar of his long career. The score features a strong choral segment, with a foreboding Latin chant...
and the 2006 remake of The Omen
The Omen (2006 film)
The Omen is a 2006 remake of Richard Donner's The Omen of 1976 and a part of The Omen series. Directed by John Moore and written by David Seltzer, the film stars Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick...
. The number of the beast also appears in other crime film
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
s such as Pulp Fiction
Pulp fiction
Pulp fiction may refer to:* pulp magazines, short stories presented in a magazine format, printed on cheaply made wood-pulp paper* Pulp Fiction, a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino...
.
Some women also expressed concern on giving birth to a child on June 6, 2006 (06/06/06). When the BBC News Magazine Monitor
BBC News Magazine Monitor
The Magazine Monitor is a column in the Magazine section of BBC News Online; the website of BBC News; where a wily and irreverent take on the day's news is collated. The first article added to the Monitor each day is usually the Paper Monitor - often pointing out the glorious imperceptible...
made the definition of "hexakosioihexekontahexaphobiac" the subject of its "Daily Mini-Quiz" for June 5, 2006, it announced on June 6 that 88.8% of the respondents got the answer right.
Another example of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia comes from the Dutch Christian organisation Stichting Opwekking
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
("Revival Foundation"). When their songbook would have reached the number 666 in May 2007 they decided to skip the number "because of the sensitivity amongst people". Another reason for excluding this number was that it would be the last song of that year: they release new Christian songs in their Revival
Revival
Revival may refer to:*Resuscitation of a person*Language revival of an extinct language*Revival of a defunct team*Revival of a former television series*Revival of a former hit play in a new production...
songbook every year around Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
and the number 666 would be on the front page of their songbook. As a result the Revival songbook skips from 665 to 667. Christian critics described this exclusion as a superstitious
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
act.