Yesterday morning on the way to our golf game, after I sneezed repeatedly. I'm sure it had nothing at all to do with how much cologne someone had on. No, really. My eyes watering and burning? Just one of those things.. Anyway:
Me: "You are supposed to bless me."
Him: "Bless you child, for you have sneezed..."
Me: *smack*
Him: "What, isn't that how it goes?"
Me: "No dork, you are just supposed to say "Bless you, or God Bless you."
Him: "Even sneezing is a sin now?!?"
Me: *eye roll*"I think originally that a sneeze was thought to expel evil spirits so people said 'God Bless you' in order to keep them from reentering your body."
Him: "I know some of my boogers are crusty little devil's, for sure."
The hubs is a nutjob, I tell ya.
Well, turns out I am wrong regarding the origin, apparently one traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (AD 540-604) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the bubonic plague in AD 590 (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague, Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's blessing. When someone sneezed (seen as the initial onset of the plague), they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not actually develop the disease.
Now, arent you glad you know?
Me: "You are supposed to bless me."
Him: "Bless you child, for you have sneezed..."
Me: *smack*
Him: "What, isn't that how it goes?"
Me: "No dork, you are just supposed to say "Bless you, or God Bless you."
Him: "Even sneezing is a sin now?!?"
Me: *eye roll*"I think originally that a sneeze was thought to expel evil spirits so people said 'God Bless you' in order to keep them from reentering your body."
Him: "I know some of my boogers are crusty little devil's, for sure."
The hubs is a nutjob, I tell ya.
Well, turns out I am wrong regarding the origin, apparently one traditional explanation for the custom is that it began literally as a blessing. Pope Gregory I the Great (AD 540-604) ascended to the Papacy just in time for the start of the bubonic plague in AD 590 (his successor succumbed to it). To combat the plague, Gregory ordered litanies, processions and unceasing prayer for God's blessing. When someone sneezed (seen as the initial onset of the plague), they were immediately blessed ("God bless you!") in the hope that they would not actually develop the disease.
Now, arent you glad you know?
3 Comments:
Very good to know... :) I thought it was because of the spirits thing also, but it might be in another culture.. who knows?
And also another thought on the subject from the Quaker state, it was believed you sneezed your soul out and blessing you put it back in.
I also thought it was the evil spirit thing. Learn something new every day.
Gotta tell you I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with a dorky husband. :-)
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