Mantilla/ Head covering

[joamy]

I’m curious - for those who wear a Mantilla/ Head Covering at mass, is there an etiquette that dictates what color one wears?

I am a convert who has fairly recently started to go to a TLM in my parish and am still learning some of the in’s and out’s.

Thanks!!

 

[Magnum_V8]

No expert here, but I think “traditionally” black was for married women and white for unmarried. As for the other colors, I have no idea.

If you do a search here on this forum, you’ll find many discussions about head coverings. But I don’t think there is any mandated guideline for which color one should wear.

The only thing I will say, and I’m sure I’ll get a few negative responses for it, is that the head covering was meant to cover up the woman’s hair ----her glory. At least this is what I see St. Paul as saying in 1 Corinthians 11; maybe I’m wrong. However, there’s also the argument that it was a cultural issue of the day, so it may not be as relevant today. This I can understand also.

If I were a woman and felt inclined to wear a mantilla in church, I certainly would go for something understated --to not draw any attention…which I think is the entire point of it.

 

[Cathryn]

A woman can wear any color she chooses. I mostly wear a black mantilla, but I also have a blue one.

White symbolizes virginity or being unmarried. You might not want to advertize your marital status.

 

[homewardbound]

White for unmarried, black for married. But there are other colors out there as well. No rules really anymore, though I personally wear white and plan to wear black once I a married. I like sticking with tradition.

I like wearing one because it makes me feel more humble before God. I feel closer to Him. Also, its to mimic Mary, she has her hair covered, no? There’s no better role model for us women than her,

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

The only thing I will say, and I’m sure I’ll get a few negative responses for it, is that the head covering was meant to cover up the woman’s hair ----her glory. At least this is what I see St. Paul as saying in 1 Corinthians 11; maybe I’m wrong. However, there’s also the argument that it was a cultural issue of the day, so it may not be as relevant today. This I can understand also.

I’m quite happy to accept that it was an cultural issue and I don’t believe believe it’s somehow a matter faith nor morals (like another commandment). But I think it’s still relevant because it’s a certain tradition that was kept in the Church and has a very powerful symbolism.

I personally find it interesting to learn these things. I never knew head coverings ever function as “dating dating”, haha! I don’t see anyone wearing mantillas these days, unless I go to the oratory, which has some more traditionally minded people.

 

[Cathryn]

On vacation, I went to St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in the Los Angeles Diocese. One of their many Sunday Masses is the Extraordinary form. No one is required to wear a headcovering, but most do. In the back of the church they had a bolt of fabric and a pair of sizzors for anyone to help themselves to a free self made mantilla-like headcovering. The Blessed Mother has appeared in various headcoverings sometime blue, sometimes white, sometimes with gold trim. I mostly go to Novus Ordo Masses and choose to wear a headcovering. Since the Extraordinary Mass is the same Mass as the Ordinary Form, I wear at both.

 

[puzzleannie]

White for unmarried, black for married. ,

guess our good sisters in the 50s did not get the memo because the chapel veil that came with our school uniforms was black, and I am pretty sure most of us girls in grades 1-8 were unmarried.

 

[Cathryn]

guess our good sisters in the 50s did not get the memo because the chapel veil that came with our school uniforms was black, and I am pretty sure most of us girls in grades 1-8 were unmarried.

We had a brown, wool beenie like beret. Not bad. Simple and understated.

 

[arieh0310]

The only thing I will say, and I’m sure I’ll get a few negative responses for it, is that the head covering was meant to cover up the woman’s hair ----her glory. At least this is what I see St. Paul as saying in 1 Corinthians 11; maybe I’m wrong. However, there’s also the argument that it was a cultural issue of the day, so it may not be as relevant today. This I can understand also.

I don’t like the “culturally conditioned” argument because that same argument is used by homosexual activists against St. Paul’s letters. Besides, pagan women (and Corinth was heavily pagan) typically didn’t veil. So, to veil was counter cultural. Jewish women veiled, so we can say that it was an organic development from Judaism. And, when are we ever implored to cater to non-Christians in our worship?

To go further with the “covering her glory” statement, I like to tell women that the Church has always had the practice if veiling what is holy. We veil the chalice, the door to the tabernacle, etc. The female body is an icon of the Church (we are the Bride of Christ, Mary is also an icon of the Church) and for men to see women veiled is a powerful reminder of our need to be receptive (which is how the feminine body is designed) with the Lord.

 

[sneakers]

I’m curious - for those who wear a Mantilla/ Head Covering at mass, is there an etiquette that dictates what color one wears?

I am a convert who has fairly recently started to go to a TLM in my parish and am still learning some of the in’s and out’s.

Thanks!!

Where I lived (outside of Pittsburgh), when I was little, I don’t remember my mom ever wearing a mantilla. She did, however, have a pretty nice collection of hats. Most women did. A lot of women wore babushkas (or head scarves), tied under the chin. I remember she always had some kind of nice bonnet for me and my sisters and, of course, in the winter the girls all wore winter hats. I made my First Holy Communion in 1963. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think the mantilla became popular until the 1960s and then, of course, women ditched head coverings altogether not too long after that. I’ve kind of been thinking of buying a regular head scarf or two. Something to match my outfits. That way, I wouldn’t feel too obvious at our OF church.

 

[Melanie01]

The black/white thing has been correctly defined by previous posters but at the church I go to it is not strict by any means.

All the colours of the rainbow, mantillas, scarves, hats and the occasional hanky…I have a selection black and gold, black and silver, a Spanish mantilla in black and a gorgeous Sicilian number in black crochet with tiny coloured beads throughout…this is my favourite as it is nicely weighted and I dont have to use bobby pins to stop it slipping.