Why do people say 'God Bless You' when you sneeze?

Answer 1

There are several theories for this.

One theory says that the phrase "God Bless you" came from an Islamic practice which originated over 1400 years ago. According to the Islam religion, when someone sneezed, he should say "All Praises to God" and in response the people would reply "May God Bless You".

Another explanation is that when people sneezed it was believed that the heart would miss a beat; in that microsecond, the skip would allow the devil to enter the body. Therefore, saying "God bless you" would stop the devil from entering one's body uninvited.

Another middle ages superstition held that, when one sneezed, a large amount of breath (regarded as the very breath of life) could be expelled suddenly from the body, resulting in death. In case the victim died in this instance, he/she would at least go to heaven with God's Blessing.

Written records state that the saying goes back to the time of Pope Saint Gregory I, or Gregory the Great, who was Pope of the Catholic Church from September 590 until he died in 604. When Pope Gregory ascended to the Papacy, it was just in time for the start of the Plague, so this Pope is unfortunately known as the patron saint of plague. He believed that constant repetition of litanies and unceasing prayer for God's help and intercession would help ward off sickness. On 16 February 590 A.D., Pope Gregory decreed that whenever someone sneezed, others should say "God bless you" in response. The blessing was given in the hope (or belief) that the one who sneezed wouldn't then develop the plague.

Perhaps there was more to this than people realised: it is interesting to note that the plague of 590 A.D. dissipated very quickly.

Answer 2

AnswerGesundheit is German for 'good health'. I think that while the general translation is helpful it still may not explain why some Western countries use it. (a)"ges"+ (b)"und"+ (c)"heit" a) not sure what that means, maybe thats a German adverb such as ness b) means good? c) means Health; so a closer direct translation may be good healthiness or healthihood; which doesn't sound right -- as something is usually lost in translation -- so we say it means good health.

I'm curious to know the phoenetic pronunciation as my interpretation is: guess-oondt-height.

Answer

Gesund means 'healthy' and Gesundheit means 'health' in general. To wish somebody 'Gesundheit' is a common saying in Germany if someone sneezes. I think it came to North America by immigrants in the 19th and 20th century. The pronunciation above is almost correct. The 'height' part is good but the guess is more like gues with just one soft s and between both would be something like 'ound'. So you'd have 'gues-ound-height'.

Answer 3

originally because the speaker wanted to make the hearer objectively holy or sacred or divine or blessed or favored by divinity etc not realizing everyone already is but later bless also got confused with the subjective experience of bliss & after a sneeze it has just come to mean now be well & dont catch cold etc

Answer 4

I was told that Catholics originated this as your heart actually stops beating for the split second you sneeze - hence the bless you for return of life to yer heart.... An old Catholic nun told me this!! Read more here..... http://www.inspirationline.com/Brainteaser/sneeze.htm

Answer 5

You contort your face, expel mucus, and others wish upon your Allergies. but the origin of "Bless You" believes that your soul can come out and by saying bless you, it temporarily shortens those chances.

Answer 6

The practice probably dates back to mediaeval times where all sorts of diseases killed people. So "[God] bless you, for you may be dead soon". The Germans say "Gesundheit" which means "health", which is probably more appropriate.

Answer 7

because it is an general belief and people r used to say bless u while sneezing and not while coughing

It was once believed that sneezing was something to do with being possessed by demons, so 'bless you' i.e.'God bless you', would help save you.

Answer 8

Yes because apparently, when you sneeze, your soul escapes. So if someone says bless you, the devil can't catch it.

Answer 9

Your heart actually stops when you sneeze......a blessing asks God to bless you and start the heart going again.

Answer 10

I think because they racist OWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOWOOWO