Covering hair at Mass

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I’m thinking about getting this one:

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🤔
 
A quick google search says this is from the Mihno region in Portugal. I don’t know why the color is what it is, but apparently black is the traditional color over there. I found one source that said it symbolized fidelity, but no citations.

Intercultural weddings, I’ve been told, are rather a hotbed of potential misunderstandings, just because the traditions for who wears what vary so much.
 
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@adgloriam Vielen Dank, das ist wirklich nett. Ich verstehe die Problematik einfach manchmal nicht, und für mich sind diese Traditionen ein Teil, der das Leben schöner macht.

This is the french lace I had in my mind. Of course, it´s a first communion, but I remeber little lace veils and doilies for everyday mass from her. Picture from 1943.
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Margaret_Ann said:
Why is black the color for wedding gowns?
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A multitude of reasons translate to the color. Women would normally enter mourning for their whole lives at an early age, for the death of a family member, parents, husband or child. Only love lasts forever and mourning in this life reflects that, an outward sign of interior suffering, of lifelong respectful memory, of undying deiform love.

In case of the wedding gown the choice isn’t completely independent and also reflects the extreme modesty vow of marriage to last for the rest of life. Modesty is of sanctity being sanctity the upmost beauty, the color celebrates lifelong bodily separation from the world whilst still being physically placed in it - thus the brides body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. [The praise of the widows who choose not to remarry, from Judith to Ana Lc2:36-38 witnessing the presentation of the child Jesus.]

The choice of color is a prelude to all of that, embodying matrimony.

The black wedding gown is not circumscribed to a single region. It is common to northwest Iberia but examining ethnography from the whole Eurasia you find the same central element with variations emerging in many different places. It is also of anthropology, and this particular element is held to origin from Phoenician OT times.

The golden jewelry is several times mentioned in OT in connection with woman and wisdom taken indistinguishably.
Prov3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Prov3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
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Thus, also, the beauty of this particular picture in it’s minimalism of elements. A black wedding gown, and it’s beauty reducing gold to a mere adornment that places the wife’s wisdom as the only origin of all riches - perfectly illustrating Proverbs 3.

 
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That’s Proverbs 31, not chapter 3. (It’s the second OT reading for Presanctified Liturgy on the Friday before Lazarus Saturday.):

Douay-Rheims Bible + Challoner Notes

Book Of Proverbs Chapter 31

An exhortation to chastity, temperance, and works of mercy; with the praise of a wise woman.

[10]] Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.

[[11] The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. [[12]] She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. [[13]] She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. [[14]] She is like the merchant’s ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. [[15]] And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.

[[16]] She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. [[17]] She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. [[18]] She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. [[19]] She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. [[20]] She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.

[[21]] She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. [[22]]She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering. [[23]] Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. [[24]] She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. [[25]] Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.

[24] “The Chanaanite”: The merchant, for Chanaanite, in Hebrew, signifies a merchant.

[[26]] She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. [[27]] She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. [[28]] Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. [[29]] Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. [[30]] Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

[[31]] Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.
 
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Margaret_Ann said:
That’s Proverbs 31, not chapter 3. (It’s the second OT reading for Presanctified Liturgy on the Friday before Lazarus Saturday.)
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I’m using KJV from an online resource (for laziness - my bible sits on another desk). The specific Proverbs 3:14 and 31:14 are very similar, almost identical.
 
Margaret_Ann said:
KJV?!? The Douay Rheims Bible Online is much better. :-0
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I’m not a native English speaker and so I enjoyed the old English wording of KJV. Everyone here mentions Douay Rheims but I never got around to trying it.
 
Hallo @alice24 I’ll write in English because someone might want to read and it’s a bit easier for me.

Up thread @dochawk mentioned RCC in Lithuania and @babochka mentioned identity (tradition and heritage). Pope Francis just gave a lengthy speech to the youth this 22/9 in Lithuania, saying 9 times ‘identity’ over 9 paragraphs. Identity was in fact the main topic of the speech.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/france...ncesco_20180922_giovani-vilnius-lituania.html
We are all interconnected, we are all “networked”. God wanted to enter into this web of relationships and he draws us to himself in community; he gives to our lives the deepest sense of identity and belonging (cf. Gaudete et Exsultate , 6).
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@dochawk @alice24 @babochka @Bruised_Reed since we anticipated the papal reflection we might be inclined to ask how much of our interaction was moved by the Holy Spirit.
 
@alice24 a beautiful picture I really appreciate it. Tradition and identity does make life more beautiful and enriches it - we are privileged in it. You mentioned one of your ancestors was from Alsace. So I’ll include some pictures from Alsace I really liked. I really appreciate ethnography and folklore. I know you’ll say some of these are 17th-18th century, but I find underlying elements that are timeless and common to other areas with a deep religious element to them. The first pictures are from Alsace-Wissembourg, Schleithal and Oberrœdern (said to be catholic island amidst protestants), I’d like to point out the common black lore they share with Portugal.

@Margaret_Ann you can again see the central black element this time in Alsace France.

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@TheLittleLady I know you like hats so these are just for you. From Alsace France with a religious element to it. Hope you enjoy 🙂

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The white wedding dress is a recent “invention” used first by the richer people some 150 years ago. Most ladies married wearing a black dress as that would be used many, many more times than a white one. The black would be worn for celebrations (with some kind of jewellery) as well as funerals and mourning. When the fabric showed wear and tear the stitches would be removed and the fabric turned and dress would be resewn.

There are areas where there was and still is a culture of marrying in, what we today would call, traditional costumes or folklore dress. You could easily tell from which village or smaller town the people were from just by looking at their clothes, which patterns were used and what colours. In some areas there were different aprons depending upon which holiday was celebrated in church or if a woman was married or widow. A married woman would wear a hat while a girl or woman not married would not be allowed to wear a hat.
 
Those are certainly stunning pieces of artistry, but, I must say, I would find them quite distracting throughout the Mass, especially if they were in my line of vision. 😍

I am used to distraction during prayer, having 6 children. I don’t find it particularly problematic to be momentarily distracted; I must continuously allow myself to be drawn into the mystery. I think that is why I prefer the Byzantine Divine Liturgy over either form of the Mass. Because, for me, I am naturally drawn back to prayer when my mind has wandered.
 
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adgloriam said:
You mentioned one of your ancestors was from Alsace. So I’ll include some pictures from Alsace I really liked. I really appreciate ethnography and folklore. I know you’ll say some of these are 17th-18th century, but I find underlying elements that are timeless and common to other areas with a deep religious element to them.
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Thank you for all those beautiful pictures! It doesn´t matter how old they are, as long as they still inspire new generations to create beautiful things and helps them feel connected.
My grandma´s side is not from Alsace, but more from Normandy, near Rouen. They also have a love for high lacy hats 😉

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I attended Mass at the Archdiocese’s cathedral yesterday. Sitting in front of me was a young couple with a baby. The mom was wearing a veil, very similar in colour to her hair. Nothing in her demeanor screamed “look at me!” and it certainly didn’t raise any eyebrows.

I have to admit that I cannot recall the last time I had seen a woman wearing a head covering to wear a head covering, if you know what I mean. Over the years I’ve seen sun hats and winter hats but none that were specifically worn because they were at church.
 
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