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    It's a habit to say "Bless you" after someone sneezes. Where did this habit come from?

    Question #58189. Asked by kokomania. (Jul 06 05 4:51 AM)


    lanfranco

    		According to this site, the custom began during the 6th-century plague -- the one associated with Pope Gregory the Great, so Italy would be the point of origin. However, I'm certain that many cultures had been offering prophylactic post-sneezing "blessings" of one sort or another long before this event.

    http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgesundheit.html

    Jul 06 05, 9:17 AM

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    The shrike or butcher-bird is a song bird (passerine) that has the habit of impaling its prey on long thorns. No form of true shrike is found in Australia - the shrike-thrush and piping shrike and so on aren't real shrikes - or South America. Is there a bird in Australia that has this same habit?

    Why do we say "bless you" when someone sneezes?

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