One of the symptoms of the plague was coughing and sneezing, and it is believed that Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) suggested saying “God bless you” after a person sneezed in hopes that this prayer would protect them from an otherwise certain death. The expression may have also originated from superstition.
What is the real meaning of Bless You?
1 —used in speech to express thanks or good wishes “I’ll be happy to help in any way I can.” “Oh, bless you! That’s very kind of you.” 2 —said to someone who has just sneezed.
Why do people not say God bless you?
A sneeze, therefore, might accidentally expel the spirit from the body unless God blessed you and prevented this from occurring. Some ancient cultures also thought that sneezing forced evil spirits out of the body endangering others because these spirits might now enter their bodies.
Is it OK to say God bless you?
If you say “God Bless you” to mean “Thank you so much”, that’s fine. It’s how you express appreciation. I did something nice for you so you hope God will do something nice for me.
What is the response to bless you?
If you accept a “bless you,” then it’s easy to respond appropriately: Say “yes,” or “yes, thank you,” or just “thanks.” Or signal yes — nod your head, or wink your eye, or simply smile.
What can I say instead of God bless you?
It’s not English, but it’s been adopted (in North America at least) as one of the two only acceptable responses to a sneeze- “[God] bless you,” or “Gesundheit.” Or say nothing.
Does everyone say bless you?
“Saying ‘God bless you’ following a sneeze is a common refrain, so common and taught from childhood that many people don’t even think of it as a blessing, but rather as an utterance without specific meaning other than a response to a sneeze that is polite in some way,” said Dr.