What is the origin of people saying God bless you when you sneeze?
2006-09-26 09:59:56 · 3 answers · asked by John H 2 in Health ➔ Other - Health
some say it's because way back when, people believed that your soul "left your body" when you sneezed, giving an opening for the person to be possessed by evil spirits. God bless you kept that from happening.
Others say that it was believed that the heart actually stopped when a person sneezed. God bless you was to ensure that you would not die.
Then there are those who say it to pray off a possible cold, etc.
As for me -- it's just a gesture....but I say GOD bless you, and hate it when folks say "bless you".
2006-09-26 10:03:23 · answer #1 · answered by Stormy 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Roman Empire
2006-09-26 10:01:51 · answer #2 · answered by jb 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That would be a German term and it was suppose to keep the evil spirits from entering your body of something like that.
2006-09-26 10:02:23 · answer #3 · answered by Coastalchick 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋