You sneeze, and almost instantly someone says, “Bless you.” But why? It’s not just habit; it is now almost a tradition. Those ritual traces all the way back to Homer’s Odyssey, where a sneeze was treated like a divine ‘thumbs-up’, and later to Pope Gregory I’s plague-era decree, when “God bless you” became a tiny prayer of protection.
Historically, sneezing has been a divine signal, a plague warning, and a social nicety all wrapped into one.
In Ancient Greece, Sneeze Was Itself A Blessing
References to sneezing as a divine sign go back to ancient literature, including Homer’s The Odyssey, written in the 8th century BCE. In Book 17, Penelope, wife of Odysseus, interprets a sneeze as a sign from the gods. After expressing her belief that Odysseus would return to Ithaca and drive out the brazen suitors troubling her home, her son Telemachus suddenly sneezes.
Taking this as a positive omen, Penelope responds with joy, noting that her son’s sneeze had affirmed her words with a divine blessing (around line 540, Penguin edition, 2009). “Didn’t you notice that my son sneezed a blessing on all I had said?” she exclaimed.
A Papal Rule
Let's jump to the late 6th century CE, during the Bubonic plague in Rome. Sneezes became early warning signs.
Pope Gregory I was said to urge people to exclaim 'God bless you' immediately after someone sneezed, hoping those words would protect them from deadly disease. Within two centuries, that phrase had become a standard polite response across Christendom.
Over time, other beliefs became attached.
Some thought a sneeze might briefly expel your soul, leaving you vulnerable to evil spirits unless answered with a blessing. Others believed sneezing paused your heart, so a “Bless you” cheered your heart to beat again.
Today, It’s Just A Polite Habit
Nowadays, we don’t worry about Gods, plagues, or escaped souls when someone sneezes. In English-speaking countries, “Bless you” is simply a polite reflex. Other cultures offer similar responses: Germans say “Gesundheit,” Spaniards say “Salud”, the French say "à tes", the Turkish go "çok yaşa", and so on. But the overall message remains the same: "bless you and feel better."
So the next time you sneeze, and someone hits you with a “Bless you,” just smile. You didn’t just clear your nose, you unlocked centuries of drama, superstition, and social etiquette.
Who knew a sneeze could be that powerful?
