Chapel Veils

[ellammcg]

Question: Does the color of the veil mean anything? I thought that maidens wear white and married women wear black, as these are the only 2 colors I have seen. I would like to get one for my wife and mother-in-law. What are the opinions on color?

My instinct is to get black. Thanks.

You’re instincts are correct. Traditionally, married women wore black and single ones wore white but you can really wear any color you want. At church Monday I saw a burgundy mantilla that went very well with the ladies outfit.

I think mantillas are lovely and I have ordered a gorgeous black one from Halo Works and I can’t wait for it to arrive .

 

[lizaanne]

Question: Does the color of the veil mean anything? I thought that maidens wear white and married women wear black, as these are the only 2 colors I have seen. I would like to get one for my wife and mother-in-law. What are the opinions on color?

My instinct is to get black. Thanks.

I am married and would personally feel silly wearing a white veil. Though I do have a beautiful mantilla that is black with a light gray lace along the edge, and one that is light gray lace over black net. That is about as light as I get.

~Liza

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Where I grew up in the '50’s in the northeast it was the custom in society to wear hats. Women wore hats at any fairly formal social occasion including church. Today this isn’t true for most white women.

If one chooses to wear a veil to show respect to God, I’m sure He is pleased with the intention. But I’m somewhat bemused by the discussion of which color, white for single women (I’m far beyond marriage age but am single, should I wear white??), etc. Before Vatican II, veils were pretty much a Hispanic custom. They were in vogue for a short time in the '60’s with non-Hispanics when hats went out of fashion but the Church still required women to cover their heads in church since a veil or scarf could be easily folded and carried in a purse or pocket.

So how did the veil (instead of hats or scarves) become so significant to those who attend the EF? It seems to have taken on much more significance with today’s Traditionalists than it had in the 40’s, '50’s, or '60’s.

 

[lizaanne]

I think you should wear what you feel comfortable with! No one says you have to wear white - you wear what you like.

Personally I think that veils and mantillas are more in vogue right now only because hats are not. Nothing more complicated than that. They are easy to carry, easy to toss in the console of the car or purse, or even back pack as I did when I was traveling around England visiting Churches.

~Liza

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I think you should wear what you feel comfortable with! No one says you have to wear white - you wear what you like.

Personally I think that veils and mantillas are more in vogue right now only because hats are not. Nothing more complicated than that. They are easy to carry, easy to toss in the console of the car or purse, or even back pack as I did when I was traveling around England visiting Churches.

~Liza

That makes sense. I got the idea Traditionalists thought veils were somehow especially holy.

Did you encounter many women covering their heads in England? BTW, I read that more Catholics than Anglicans attend church on Sunday in England today!

I’m leaving for Canada on Saturday(Cavendish, Prince Edward Island). Anyone familiar with a good parish there?

 

[lizaanne]

That makes sense. I got the idea Traditionalists thought veils were somehow especially holy.

Nah - that’s just what some folks who are against women covering their heads would like you to believe. It really is not complicated at all. I actually used a silk scarf before I got my first lace veil. Lace just sticks on my head better.

Did you encounter many women covering their heads in England? BTW, I read that more Catholics than Anglicans attend church on Sunday in England today!

Not really - I think many times I was the only one actually, I saw more in London than anywhere else. We only attended OF Masses while we were there - it was before the Motu Propio, so EF Masses would have been hard to find, if at all.

~Liza

 

[ellammcg]

Headcoverings have been worn by ladies in church since the time of Paul when he wrote 1 Corinthians. Various styles have been worn through the ages but hats only became popular around the turn of the last century. They were preferred by the wealthy and the rest of the women followed suit. Hats were frowned upon (in church) for a while because some women’s hats were so large that they obscured the views of others during mass. Today it really doesn’t matter whether you wear a hat or veil, it’s the same principle. Veils are far more portable and easier to clean (especially for those of us with toddlers). A hat is less likely to provoke a negative reaction from other women as some women (especially older ones) get quite hostile when they see someone wearing a veil. (Kind of ironic because I could care less if they want to wear one or not.)

fisheaters.com/theveil.html

 

[credo]

Where I grew up in the '50’s in the northeast it was the custom in society to wear hats. Women wore hats at any fairly formal social occasion including church. Today this isn’t true for most white women.

If one chooses to wear a veil to show respect to God, I’m sure He is pleased with the intention. But I’m somewhat bemused by the discussion of which color, white for single women (I’m far beyond marriage age but am single, should I wear white??), etc. Before Vatican II, veils were pretty much a Hispanic custom. They were in vogue for a short time in the '60’s with non-Hispanics when hats went out of fashion but the Church still required women to cover their heads in church since a veil or scarf could be easily folded and carried in a purse or pocket.

So how did the veil (instead of hats or scarves) become so significant to those who attend the EF? It seems to have taken on much more significance with today’s Traditionalists than it had in the 40’s, '50’s, or '60’s.

The only reason I asked what color veil or mantilla is appropriate is because as a male, I really was not sure. To get my wife one as a gift (we were born in 1962) I just want to make sure that the color is appropriate as I have no prior knowledge if the color had any specific meaning.

I have seen mother’s with a white mantilla and/or veil and it just looked funny somehow.

credo

 

[Frosty]

Where I grew up in the '50’s in the northeast it was the custom in society to wear hats. Women wore hats at any fairly formal social occasion including church. Today this isn’t true for most white women.

If one chooses to wear a veil to show respect to God, I’m sure He is pleased with the intention. But I’m somewhat bemused by the discussion of which color, white for single women (I’m far beyond marriage age but am single, should I wear white??), etc. Before Vatican II, veils were pretty much a Hispanic custom. They were in vogue for a short time in the '60’s with non-Hispanics when hats went out of fashion but the Church still required women to cover their heads in church since a veil or scarf could be easily folded and carried in a purse or pocket.

So how did the veil (instead of hats or scarves) become so significant to those who attend the EF? It seems to have taken on much more significance with today’s Traditionalists than it had in the 40’s, '50’s, or '60’s.

There was a discussion not long ago on a blog on this very topic. Most of the commentators seemed to believe that veils or mantillas were the norm mandated by the Church back in the pre-Vatican 2 days and thus a requirement for women who now attend the EF. I must admit that on reading some of the comments I found myslf wondering what planet I had lived on back in those days because they were so far removed from my own experience growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. The only actual veils worn were by the different orders of nuns in the parishes and by girls on the days they recieved either their First Communion or Confirmation. Of course, some of the more fashionable women might have had a small veil that dangled a few inches from the front brim of their hats if that was in vogue for a particular year. I still remember the dozens of hat boxes that filled up the top shelves of my mother, grandmother and aunts closets. Not only did these ladies wear hats to Mass but also gloves because that’s how they dressed when they went out in public. Easter Sunday was particularly interesting because a great many of the women and their daughters sported brand new Easter outfits and some of the hats were truly marvelous to behold!
Most of the girls my age hated wearing hats but since we had to cover our heads in Church we followed along or wore a scarf tied under the chin . . . which could be very hot in the summer months and more uncomfortable than a hat. The first time I ever saw a mantilla worn in Church was in 1961 when I attended a week long Sodality conference in New York City. The conference attracted members from all over the world and the array of headcoverings was as varied as could be. Those of us from my Diocese were very interested in this variety since we tended to believe that women in the whole Catholic world would necessarily dress in Church exactly the way we did in our little part of the world. The group that I was with made friends with a group of girls from France who generously gave us the little round lace headcoverings they wore as a parting gift. We were overjoyed and proudly wore them constantly on our return home. So nice not to have to wear a hat or a scarf, but something that still covered the top of our heads -what freedom! That same year, my parents went on a pilgrimmage in Spain and brought back a box full of mantillas in several different colours. Black, white, blue, rose, purple, gold and red. Mother kept one for herself [which she never wore, by the way] and gave the rest to me and my sisters. We were definitely the odd ones out in our parish when we wore them to Mass.
Just a side note here: After that first Sodality conference, I attended three more. One of the most valuable learning experiences for me was that the Catholic Church truly is universal and diverse. Customs differ from country to country and even within different areas of the same country. It’s often too easy to think that what is done in our own little part of the world is the right way and therefore everyone else should do the same or is doing or has always done the same. The reality is often very much at odds with our own pre-concieved and insular notions.

 

[nannygirl]

As far as colors go, it’s personal preference. I’m in my 50’s and married and I always wear a white or cream color mantilla. (I wear black to funerals.) I don’t feel silly at all. I love white and I wear a lot of it all the time. Besides, Edith Head always taught that an older women should wear white near her face because the reflection of light takes years off ones face.

 

[ellammcg]

Besides, Edith Head always taught that an older women should wear white near her face because the reflection of light takes years off ones face.

Now that is interesting! I have never heard that before. (And good to know as I am not getting any younger )
BTW, Who is Edith Head?

 

[nannygirl]

Now that is interesting! I have never heard that before. (And good to know as I am not getting any younger )
BTW, Who is Edith Head?

It’s really true. She taught that even if you are wearing a color, you should always find a way to have something white at your neckline. My mom used to wear little white cotton collars with her sweaters.
Edith Head was an award-winning Hollywood costume designer in the mid 1900’s. She was well-known for wearing black and white.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

It’s really true. She taught that even if you are wearing a color, you should always find a way to have something white at your neckline. My mom used to wear little white cotton collars with her sweaters.
Edith Head was an award-winning Hollywood costume designer in the mid 1900’s. She was well-known for wearing black and white.

Oh yes! The woman from the Sabrina costume fiasco! Or was it Roman Holiday?
I just remember the name because she was upset that Audrey Hepburn had gone to Givenchy to get “costumes” for a character rather than using the costumes Ms. Head had designed.

 

[motherofsix]

OK…my girls and I all wear veils, I feel better when we do. Almost like if I without it, I am nude in His house. My husband loves it and even though we get the stink eye from other female parishioners, I know it is because they feel guilty not wearing one.

 

[Tommy_Joe]

ROTFL!!

Ahhh,…the dreaded “Stink Eye”,…I actually enjoy recieving one of those every now and then and pray for those firing one off in my direction!
(I also pray for the grace not to ever give one.)

I’ll never forget he first time I saw my wife in a veil at Mass,…it was Midnight Mass and bathed in the light of all those candles I got a lump in my throat and actually teared up thinking how absolutely beautiful she looked.

 

[juliasmith]

I have read a couple of websites this morning that state that the chapel veil issue was never ruled on at Vll. Is this true?! These websites state that the press misquoted what was said and that (at least in US) a retraction was never printed and that women are supposed to still be wearing the veil. If this is the case, I’ll be in one Sunday morning (and at Confession on Sat).

Also, I know that Jewish women often wear a wig and this is accepted as a covering for the hair (my SIL is Jewish). Are Catholic women given the same leniency in head coverings? I am just curious about that bit of trivia. I personally would itch to death in one of those hot things! LOL

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I have read a couple of websites this morning that state that the chapel veil issue was never ruled on at Vll. Is this true?! These websites state that the press misquoted what was said and that (at least in US) a retraction was never printed and that women are supposed to still be wearing the veil. If this is the case, I’ll be in one Sunday morning (and at Confession on Sat).

Also, I know that Jewish women often wear a wig and this is accepted as a covering for the hair (my SIL is Jewish). Are Catholic women given the same leniency in head coverings? I am just curious about that bit of trivia. I personally would itch to death in one of those hot things! LOL

I am not qualified to answer as such.
As far as I know, it’s become more of a devotion than a “have to”.
And since Catholic women don’t wear headcoverings all the time, the wig thing would be unnecessary.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I just wanted to post some links to places that carry lovely headcoverings!

Headcoverings by Devorah
Halo-Works
Catholic Traditions EBay store

At Halo-Works, there are some chapel cap type veils that are not listed on the regular inventory. You can do a search for “Esther” “Scallop” “Ladies Chapel Veil” “Ladies Chapel Cap”.

At the Headcoverings by Devorah site, she has items that are more low-key than many mantillas are (have to admit, all that lace is quite conspicuous!). Her Tiechels and Snoods are especially beautiful!

 

[juliasmith]

I have actually purchased a head covering through ‘Devorah’ to wear to Jewish services with my brother’s family. I was less than pleased with the service there but the kippot was quite beautifully made…once it finally arrived. Be prepared for a lengthy delivery time.
It was worth the wait, the item I received was very beautiful.

 

[Molly2000z]

I think that chapel veils are a very nice thing to do and I may just get one someday, not because it’s something that I think may be more pleasing to God, but just to make a visit to Church a little more special.

I too remember the days of kleenex and forced hattery, but these days it’s a personal decision and the reasons why are between the one who wears the veil and God, IMO.