There are several origins of this custom. People in some cultures once thought that when you sneeze, you open yourself, or your soul, to the outside world. And perhaps the soul might escape or demons or evil spirits might get into the body. The blessing is a way to ward off bad stuff. Another theory of the origin of “God bless you” comes from the time the bubonic plague was sweeping through Europe. There was a lot of sneezing and coughing with the plague. Pope Gregory VII suggested that saying “God bless you” might protect a person from an otherwise certain death.
Why do people say “bless you” or “God bless you” after someone sneezes?
Answers
Nilesh Rathi
There are several origins of this custom. People in some cultures once thought that when you sneeze, you open yourself, or your soul, to the outside world. And perhaps the soul might escape or demons or evil spirits might get into the body. The blessing is a way to ward off bad stuff. Another theory of the origin of “God bless you” comes from the time the bubonic plague was sweeping through Europe. There was a lot of sneezing and coughing with the plague. Pope Gregory VII suggested that saying “God bless you” might protect a person from an otherwise certain death.