stackyFACTSThe polite 'bless you' after a sneeze is a lingering remnant of terrifying medieval paranoia.
The polite 'bless you' after a sneeze is a lingering remnant of terrifying medieval paranoia. During the plague-ridden days of Pope Gregory I, the church commanded people to bless anyone who sneezed. Mystically speaking, it was widely believed that your soul was loosely tethered to your meat suit, and a violent sneeze could accidentally eject it, leaving an empty vessel for a nearby demon to snatch. Nothing ruins a Tuesday quite like violently sneezing out your soul.
This article describes beliefs and cultural traditions, which are not necessarily scientifically established facts.
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