2007-01-18 19:05:59 · 12 answers · asked by iamdeyb 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
The custom of saying "God bless you" after a sneeze was begun literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the plague (his successor succumbed to it). Gregory (who also invented the ever-popular Gregorian chant) called for litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's help and intercession. Columns marched through the streets chanting, "Kyrie Eleison" (Greek for "Lord have mercy"). When someone sneezed, they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not subsequently develop the plague. All that prayer apparently worked, judging by how quickly the plague of 590 AD diminished.
2007-01-18 19:12:17 · answer #1 · answered by tmills883 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Old beliefs were that when someone sneezed, because the heart stops for that split second, they believed the devil could enter you then. So, Bless you was to keep him away.
2007-01-19 03:10:22 · answer #2 · answered by lynn_k_m 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some people believe that when you sneeze, your soul goes with it. Also, your heart stops when you sneeze, making you dead for that split second when you sneezed. That's why they say "bless you", so you won't die.
2007-01-19 03:11:28 · answer #3 · answered by twentyfour 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i heard that once there was this man who sneezed and he had some sort of breakdown ( a heart attack or something) and every since then people bless each other when they sneeze so they won't have the same fate. but thats just what i heard.
2007-01-19 03:15:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
In "olden times", people believed that evil spirits could enter your body while you sneezed. Hence, the blessing on the person. :)
2007-01-19 03:10:19 · answer #5 · answered by Froggie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard it was something about your heart stops when you sneeze.
2007-01-19 03:10:47 · answer #6 · answered by Milo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
.It's said because the heart supposedly stops when you sneeze but it's probably a cultural variation of sorts.
2007-01-19 03:13:05 · answer #7 · answered by truthckr 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
aparently a sneeze, it is your angel getting rid of somthing bad, like a spirit or something.
2007-01-19 07:53:31 · answer #8 · answered by pixi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so that God helps you in not to transmit your virus to others when you sneeze!
2007-01-19 03:14:12 · answer #9 · answered by prs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was believed that your body/soul/spirit became vulnerable to satan, therefore God bless you became in order.
2007-01-19 03:09:32 · answer #10 · answered by Sam I Am 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋