Talk:Roman Plague of 590

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Story (likely myth) that the custom of saying "God Bless You" as a response to sneezing was started by Pope Gregory[edit]

During the COVID-19 pandemic I've seen several people claim that the origin of "God Bless You" was an edict by Pope Gregory at the height of the 590 plague, since sneezing was supposedly the first visible symptom of the disease. This is a wonderful story but has the ring of "folk etymology" to me. What references I can find online all hedge their bets with things like "one explanation holds..." or "it's believed that..." And I haven't found any that cite a reliable source.

And from what I read here and in the citations that I could reach, this is more likely to be Bubonic rather than Pneumonic plague, so I'm not at all sure about the sneezing.

Here is what little I've found:

From "Plague in Rome 591" Plague in Rome 591 on this page: "...Our custom of saying, “God Bless you,” to someone who sneezes came about at this time, for sneezing was one of the signs that someone had contracted the disease." A lot here about Pope Gregory during the plague, but nothing connecting him to the custom.

From a Legal History blog by a Massachusetts attorney: The “God Bless You” Decree, February 16, 600 A.D. "On this day [February 16] in 600 A.D., Pope Gregory I (also known as “Gregory the Great”) issued a papal decree requiring all Christians to use the expression 'God bless you' when in the presence of someone who sneezed."

I found this from the Library of Congress web site (emphasis mine): Does your heart stop when you sneeze? "One belief is that it originated in Rome when the bubonic plague was raging through Europe. One of the symptoms of the plague was coughing and sneezing, and it is believed thatItalic text Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) suggested saying “God bless you” after a person sneezed in hopes that this prayer would protect them from an otherwise certain death.

...and a smattering of the many more (again, emphasis mine):

https://www.kevinsheridanllc.com/2020/09/god-bless-you-do-you-know-the-origin-of-this-phrase/ "...it is believed that Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) suggested..."

https://www.hopestreamradio.com/god-bless-you/ "...it seems tradition gives merit to the account ofItalic text Pope Gregory in the late 6th..."

https://www.gotquestions.org/God-bless-you-sneeze.html There is a legend/traditionItalic text that Pope Gregory I commanded"

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/why-do-we-say-god-bless-you-when-we-sneeze (cites Library of Congress story above)

I think the best I've been able to find are two articles that cite Fordham University Professor W. David Myers Why We Feel Compelled to Say ‘Bless You’ When Someone Sneezes "Historically, sneezes were thought to be an omen or warning from the gods, according to W. David Myers, a professor of history at Fordham University. “For European Christians, when the first plague that weakened the now Christian Roman Empire around 590, Pope Gregory the Great believed that a sneeze was an early warning sign of plague, so he commanded Christians to respond to a sneeze with a blessing,” he said.

Why People Often Say 'Bless You' When Someone Sneezes Cites "A Blog by the UCatholic Website" along with Professor Myers

But none of these say anything about an edict.

Usually I'd just "be bold" and edit the page to include the Myers quote, but I'm almost certain it's a myth. Still, Prof. Myers and the specificity of the date (Feb 16 1600) in a few of these make me wonder.

If anyone else has more time or resources to dig, that would be great.

Mark Asread (talk) 17:36, 2 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]