Why do people say "bless you" when a person sneezes?

From what i’ve read it has to do with the fact that sneezing was a symptom of the plague coming on. It was a way of saying “may god be with you so you don’t die”.
I think it was Gregory (saint or pope or whatever) who started it.

It originated from England during the great plague. Sneezing was one of the early symptoms so they would say it because they thought you would die.

From what I’ve heard it originated in the Middle Ages when it was thought that exhaling that much breath at a given time could send you to the grave. By saying “God Bless You” the effects of the sneeze were lessened.

uhhh… i heard once, and i don’t know where, that when you sneeze it opens up a hole to your soul which would allow demons to enter it and possess you… and when someone said “God Bless You” it would seal the hole to your soul so you wouldn’t be possessed.

i thought it was because your heart actually stops for a split second when you sneeze…so you kind of die each time…

i’m not really sure where i heard that.

One reason we say “bless you” is that people in the middle ages believed that you were expelling demons from within you when sneezing.

I have heard the same as Eambos (above). It was an attempt to exterminate the demons that escaped from your mouths when you sneezed in the middle ages.

ok… so maybe i got mine switched around
lol

its nice to do it

I understand the origins now… but why are we still saying it?