Philosophy and Religion

Where does the tradition of saying "God bless you" after a sneeze come from?

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A common superstition in the Middle Ages was that the devil could enter a person during that unguarded moment when that person was sneezing; this could be avoided if anyone present immediately appealed to the name of God. The tradition of saying "God bless you" when someone sneezes still remains today.

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Get more facts and information about superstition . Or, view the full encyclopedia entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.

Similar questions: Which ancient superstitions carry on today? Do superstitions still exist today? [ Hide these questions ]

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