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. That sneeze often triggers the "sneeze etiquette" -- a mysterious and silent message sent to the people next to you that unconsciously makes them say "bless you. Saying bless you is so ingrained in the American culture that if you sneeze and no one near you acknowledges, it creates a very noticeable, where does the phrase god bless you come from, weird feeling. I guess you don't care that I sneezed," is how Elena, a woman from Orlando, Florida, described the awkward post-sneeze silence.

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.

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The phrase is also often used when someone sneezes or does as an act of kindness. There are many theories behind it. Since then, it has been used in different formats and in different circumstances, but the meanings of this phrase as wishing blessings of God for someone have stayed the same. It is meant to wish wellbeing of someone except when used in an ironic sense. As I get up now to get ready for my meeting in a little bit I first of all just want to say God bless you dear in thanks for all you do and all the love you give to me. I will thank you deeply through all time for the light you give and the hope you have filled me with time and time again. May God bless you to know within your golden heart that you truly are a Queen who deserves the best, may bless you to know that you truly are one of his most special creations and gifts on this earth. May God always bless you so you will know and realize your abundant worth which far exceeds all the riches in the entire universe. God bless you my Angel Queen and feel all these hugs and kisses I send to thee.

Where does the phrase god bless you come from

Many people have become accustomed to saying "bless you" or "gesundheit" when someone sneezes. No one says anything when someone coughs, blows their nose or burps, so why do sneezes get special treatment? What do those phrases actually mean, anyway? Wishing someone well after they sneeze probably originated thousands of years ago. The Romans would say "Jupiter preserve you" or "Salve," which meant "good health to you," and the Greeks would wish each other "long life. The exchangeable term "gesundheit" comes from Germany, and it literally means "health. It entered the English language in the early part of the 20th century, brought to the United States by German-speaking immigrants. Virtually every country around the globe has its own way of wishing sneezers well.

Tldr meaning

In some cultures, sneezing is seen as a sign of good fortune or God's beneficence. Good manners dictate that every sneeze should be followed by some variation of "bless you. There he helped set up a food pantry in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. In Rome during the plague of , Pope Gregory I ordered unceasing prayer for divine intercession. Opinions are divided: some advocate for a quiet response, while others see it as an unnecessary formality. A blessing was to protect both the sneezer and those around him. Read Edit View history. For something so deep-seated into the culture, the reasons why we say "bless you" or "God bless you" when someone sneezes are something of a muddled mess with a lot of theories floating around. Use limited data to select advertising. English phrase. Toggle limited content width. Pope Gregory is said to have encouraged people to embrace these blessings during that doom-filled era. Isaac Winter is a fact checker. It's the actual putting forth of your will for the good of another person. Speech Acts in the History of English.

No one knows why we say 'Bless you' after someone sneezes.

You invoke God on their behalf to support the good that you will for them. So we naturally say, "God bless you. Tools Tools. Crime and Courts 1 hour ago. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data. Speech Acts in the History of English. Article Talk. Develop and improve services. It always involves God, because when you will the good of another person, you realize only God is capable of bringing that. Download as PDF Printable version. Church Publishing, Inc. Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. The expression "May God bless you" includes blessing, meaning growth, happiness, and many other good things. Read Edit View history. Only if you are having a sneeze fit, then someone will address your health.