Bless you?

Question

Where, when and why did the phrase "Bless you!" start being used when someone sneeses?

Answer 1

It's because of an old wive's tale; people used to believe that when you sneeze, your heart stops (which is not true). Thus, they thought that when a person sneezes, they could drop dead - so they'd offer a blessing (which i believe is akin to praying for someone's soul).

Answer 2

Some questions, no matter how simple, don't have one knowable answer. Though a number of "explanations" exist for this custom, nothing points to any one of them being its origin.

Common among these explanations are:

At one time people believed a man's soul could be inadvertently thrust from his body by an explosive sneeze, thus "Bless you!" was a protective oath uttered to safeguard the temporarily expelled and vulnerable soul from being snatched up by Satan (who was always lurking nearby). The purpose of the oath was to cast a temporary shield over the flung-out soul which would protect it just long enough to regain the protection of the corporeal body.

Conversely, the sneeze itself was the expulsion of a demon or evil spirit which had taken up residence in a person. Therefore, although the "Bless you!" was again a protective charm meant to protect the sneezer from evil, in this version it was meant to ward off the re-entry of an evil spirit which a tormented soul had just rid itself of.

The heart was believed to momentarily stop during a sneeze (it doesn't), thus the "Bless you!" was uttered either as a supplication for life to return or as a congratulation upon its successful restart.

Others claim an association of the practice with particular dire diseases (most often the bubonic plague, or "Black Death," as it is sometimes known). They say an infected person's sneeze was sure sign he'd soon be pushing up daisies, thus the "Bless you!" was intended as a benediction to the nearly-departed, a way of commending his soul to the care of God now that he was beyond the help of anything in the mortal world.

Yet other folks echo the theme of other superstitions about sneezes, that these expulsions are either in themselves lucky or foretell good fortune coming the sneezer's way. For them, the "Bless you!" is a recognition of incoming good luck, possibly even an attempt on the blesser's part to attract a bit of it to himself.

Finally, some see the sneeze as a blessing bestowed by the sneezer upon the sneezed-upon. Answering a sneeze with "Bless you!" is seen as nothing more remarkable than replying "Good morning!" to the person who had just greeted you with the same phrase.

Answer 3

During the middle ages, during the black plague (spelling?). If you sneezed, it was an indication you might have the plaque and people would say bless you. I kinda like the phrase, “God blesses you” better.

Answer 4

I guess someone just invented the word like "God bless you" they're just being nice just by saying bless you when you sneeze and it doesn't matter where or when someone invented the word. Its just a nice word for people saying when people sneeze and on other occasions.

Answer 5

Amen

Answer 6

At one time it was believed that a sneeze could stop your heart and kill you, so when someone sneezed they would say God bless you as a prayer for their health.

Answer 7

The heart does not stop!

Other than that it is the reason. People did think it stopped or was an omen (someone mentioned plague)

Answer 8

ca zoon tite (however you spell the dern sayin') means bless u in French, and english pple translated it to bless you 2 points (-_-)y peace out

Answer 9

Everytime you sneeze supposedly your heart stops beating. So, if you would sneeze to show your appreciation that your heart continues beating and your still alive.

Answer 10

it was believed that when someone sneezed that that person had a demon trying to posses them - don't know hen it started