Where does the phrase god bless you come from

We've all been there: in a room full of people, in a packed elevator or even walking down the street, when the sudden tingling urge for a sneeze comes on.

Good manners dictate that every sneeze should be followed by some variation of "bless you. But have you ever wondered why we do it other than the fact that mama raised us right, that is? Unfortunately, the true origins of this bizarre social convention are a bit murky. But there are plenty of fascinating guesses, and not surprisingly, most of them are based heavily on superstition. The most popular theory is that it originated in Rome when the bubonic plague was ravaging Europe.

Where does the phrase god bless you come from

God bless you variants include God bless or bless you [1] is a common English phrase generally used to wish a person blessings in various situations, [1] [2] especially to "will the good of another person", as a response to a sneeze , and also, when parting or writing a valediction. Numbers , and by Christians, since the time of the early Church as a benediction , as well as a means of bidding a person Godspeed. The locution "God bless you" is used in Christian benedictions. Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of your will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when you will the good of another person, you realize only God is capable of bringing that. So we naturally say, "God bless you. You invoke God on their behalf to support the good that you will for them. This is the nature of blessing. It is what we are to receive from God and then give to another.

And if a simple "bless you" just so happens to protect our souls while we're at it, even better. Crofton Croker National Geographic.

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God bless you variants include God bless or bless you [1] is a common English phrase generally used to wish a person blessings in various situations, [1] [2] especially to "will the good of another person", as a response to a sneeze , and also, when parting or writing a valediction. Numbers , and by Christians, since the time of the early Church as a benediction , as well as a means of bidding a person Godspeed. The locution "God bless you" is used in Christian benedictions. Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of your will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when you will the good of another person, you realize only God is capable of bringing that.

Where does the phrase god bless you come from

Some people believed that a sneeze causes the soul to escape the body through the nose. The expression may have also originated from superstition. What are alternatives to saying Bless You? Skip to content.

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Toggle limited content width. By Meghan Overdeep. Opinions are divided: some advocate for a quiet response, while others see it as an unnecessary formality. Good manners dictate that every sneeze should be followed by some variation of "bless you. Create profiles to personalise content. Part of his command was that anyone sneezing be blessed immediately "God bless you" , since sneezing was often the first sign that someone was falling ill with the plague. National Geographic reports that during the Roman Plague of , " Pope Gregory I ordered unceasing prayer for divine intercession. The phrase appeared in America thanks to German immigrants. I guess you don't care that I sneezed," is how Elena, a woman from Orlando, Florida, described the awkward post-sneeze silence. Categories : English phrases Parting phrases Parting traditions.

The phrase is also often used when someone sneezes or does as an act of kindness. There are many theories behind it.

National Geographic reports that during the Roman Plague of , " Pope Gregory I ordered unceasing prayer for divine intercession. Harvard University Press. Measure content performance. Was this page helpful? Crofton Croker But have you ever wondered why we do it other than the fact that mama raised us right, that is? Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Use dmy dates from January There he helped set up a food pantry in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. Thanks for your feedback! Retrieved 21 August The most popular theory is that it originated in Rome when the bubonic plague was ravaging Europe. Retrieved 17 September So we naturally say, "God bless you. But there are plenty of fascinating guesses, and not surprisingly, most of them are based heavily on superstition.