The simple act of saying ‘Bless you’ after someone sneezes is a deeply ingrained superstition in Western culture, performed almost automatically by many. This widespread practice, however, has roots stretching back centuries, evolving from practical concerns about health and mortality to spiritual beliefs about the soul and potential demonic influence.

Historical records suggest that the custom of acknowledging a sneeze is quite ancient. The Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder, writing in 77 AD in his work Natural History, questioned the origin of this salutation, noting that even the notoriously unsociable Emperor Tiberius Caesar observed the practice. While Pliny did not provide an explanation, his observation confirms that the custom was already established in Roman society during the first century.

A significant explanation appears in William Caxton’s 1483 manuscript The Golden Legend, or Lives of the Saints. This text, a translation of the popular medieval religious work Aurea Legenda (compiled in 1275 by Jacobus de Voragine), describes a devastating pestilence among the Christian Romans. The disease acted so swiftly that a sneeze was seen as a potentially fatal symptom. Those nearby would say ‘God helpe you or Cryst helpe,’ knowing that the afflicted person could die very quickly. This offers a compelling explanation for the blessing as a response to a perceived immediate threat.

While many believe the custom originated during the bubonic plague, Caxton’s earlier reference disproves this directly. However, the recurrent outbreaks of plague and other virulent diseases likely reinforced the practice. In a time with limited medical understanding or effective treatments, the blessing may have served as a comforting ritual in the face of widespread death and suffering, offering a sense of hope or divine intervention in uncontrollable circumstances.

Over time, the custom’s association shifted from physical ailments to spiritual anxieties. The act of sneezing became linked to beliefs about the soul’s connection to breath. It was thought that a sneeze caused a temporary expulsion of the soul, leaving the body vulnerable to evil spirits. Therefore, the blessing transformed into a protective measure against demonic possession. The Spanish custom of saying ‘Jesus!’ when someone sneezes reflects this spiritual interpretation, as invoking the Lord’s name was believed to ward off malevolent forces.

In modern times, while the original beliefs may have faded, the tradition of saying ‘Bless you’ persists. It is now largely a social nicety, a polite and almost reflexive response to a bodily function. Though the superstition’s historical context may be lost on many, the act still retains a cultural significance, representing empathy, concern, and a connection to a long and multifaceted history of belief and practice.