Veils

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Nicole

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Hello, I have a question about the history of wearing a veil to Mass. I understand why, out of reverence, one would want to cover her head. But, why didn’t men wear a head covering? Or did they ever? Just curious.

God Bless,
Nicole
 
For whatever reason, in many cultures a woman’s hair is considered to be among her most attractive features. To cover it at Mass has the twofold function of minimizing distractions to others and subordinating the individual’s beauty in the presence of Beauty.

Not so for men. Since medieval times (and perhaps before) when men’s headwear was primarily a helmet, to remove one’s head covering was a sign of voluntary vulnerability and peaceful intent. Even now in the military, the custom is to remove one’s hat indoors.

I hope that’s a helpful perspective.
 
Yes, thanks!! I still have my Mother’s veil. I remember thinking how cool they were when I was little. There are a few women who wear them at my Parish, but it is definitely not the norm. Personally I would like it if the custom came back.

God Bless,
Nicole
 
Hi Nicole,

Christian women wearing veils in Church goes back to the beginning of Christianity. Paul talks about this traditional practice in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16:

I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled dishonors her head–it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil. For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.) That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head, because of the angels. (Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.) Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering. If any one is disposed to be contentious, we recognize no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

Todd
 
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Servulus:
For whatever reason, in many cultures a woman’s hair is considered to be among her most attractive features. To cover it at Mass has the twofold function of minimizing distractions to others and subordinating the individual’s beauty in the presence of Beauty.

Not so for men. Since medieval times (and perhaps before) when men’s headwear was primarily a helmet, to remove one’s head covering was a sign of voluntary vulnerability and peaceful intent. Even now in the military, the custom is to remove one’s hat indoors.

I hope that’s a helpful perspective.
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But what if the woman isn’t very pretty? I never thought I was all that beautiful as to be a distraction!

I’m kidding of course. I had wondered about the men and that explanation makes good sense.

How about the custom of the Jewish men keeping their heads covered while attending temple? How and when did that start and why didn’t it carry over to the Church?

dream wanderer
 
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Fidelis:
Why not start the trend yourself? It has to start somewhere? 🙂
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That’s a possibility, but I wonder about it having a negative effect. Like people would think that I was being a showoff or trying to look more pious by wearing a veil. I know to some extent you cannot worry about what people think, but if it causes a seriously negative reaction, would it still be the right thing to do?

I’m genuinely curious on this one because I see so many people seem to slam shut doors in certain areas because of knee jerk negative reactions to things like this.

God Bless, Nicole
 
Could you discuss it with some of the other ladies at your church? Some of them might be very happy to do the same. Alternately, you could try it once and see how you feel – very
self-conscious, a little self-conscious but mostly happy and peaceful, or completely at ease.

You could also talk it over with your priest.

This issue came up between some ladies at our church and I understand your concerns. But, truly, you should follow your heart. You don’t owe anyone explanations or apologies. There is certainly nothing offensive about a veil.

Christ’s peace protect you.
 
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Nicole:
That’s a possibility, but I wonder about it having a negative effect. Like people would think that I was being a showoff or trying to look more pious by wearing a veil. I know to some extent you cannot worry about what people think, but if it causes a seriously negative reaction, would it still be the right thing to do?
God Bless, Nicole
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Funny thing about worrying about what other people think: I don’t know about you, but I have never heard or seen any negative reaction toward women who wear veils in my parish. Perhaps there are those who think it, but the purpose of wearing a veil does not hinge on their opinion, but whether you personally feel it’s a fitting and worthy thing to do.

I remember when our family started saying grace before eating in public, we were very self-conscious about it. But after doing it for some time, not only were we not loudly denounced and castigated as over-pious Papists, several people came up to us and remarked how lovely it was to see a family say grace together. So you see, fear of public opinion should be the least of your worries. 🙂
 
Veils once were mentioned in canon law. This is no longer the case. Certainly there is no longer a small-t tradition of wearing veils as there had been.

Oddly enough, today the veil causes the ** opposite reaction ** of what was intended. It calls attention to the wearer. If modesty is the intent, it can’t be accomplished with an item that makes one stand out in a crowd.

A veil, for example, is only an option in childrens’ First Holy Communion in our parish. I can imagine some parishes forbidding a veil for the sake of uniformity in the appearance of the girls. I can’t imagine a parish mandating the veil.

I think in the United States there will be several possible reactions to a veil:
(a) “what’s that about?”
(b) that person is very old-fashioned.
(c) a sign of piety
(d) a sign of defiance to the Mass of Paul VI, Vatican II, the current bishop.

My reaction is to believe (c) in any case. From my blog a picture of Jackie Bouvier while she was dating Senator John F Kennedy.
 
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pat:
I think in the United States there will be several possible reactions to a veil:
(a) “what’s that about?”
(b) that person is very old-fashioned.
(c) a sign of piety
(d) a sign of defiance to the Mass of Paul VI, Vatican II, the current bishop.

My reaction is to believe (c) in any case.
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when I wear a veil, it is partially (only partially) in defiance, but NOT as in (d) above, it’s in defiance of and in repentance from, the feminist agenda that would have women usurp the male role rather than embracing the holy status of womanhood. Anna
 
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pat:
Veils once were mentioned in canon law. This is no longer the case. Certainly there is no longer a small-t tradition of wearing veils as there had been.

Oddly enough, today the veil causes the **opposite reaction **of what was intended. It calls attention to the wearer. If modesty is the intent, it can’t be accomplished with an item that makes one stand out in a crowd.

A veil, for example, is only an option in childrens’ First Holy Communion in our parish. I can imagine some parishes forbidding a veil for the sake of uniformity in the appearance of the girls. I can’t imagine a parish mandating the veil.

I think in the United States there will be several possible reactions to a veil:
(a) “what’s that about?”
(b) that person is very old-fashioned.
(c) a sign of piety
(d) a sign of defiance to the Mass of Paul VI, Vatican II, the current bishop.

My reaction is to believe (c) in any case. From my blog a picture of Jackie Bouvier while she was dating Senator John F Kennedy.
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No, to me, what calls attention to a woman is when she is a lector, cantor, Eucharistic minister, etc., not wearing a veil! The wearing of a head covering is mandated in the Bible and was required by all Popes since St. Linus, the second Pope. We should follow that, not liberals who stopped wearing them.
 
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Nicole:
Yes, thanks!! I still have my Mother’s veil. I remember thinking how cool they were when I was little. There are a few women who wear them at my Parish, but it is definitely not the norm. Personally I would like it if the custom came back.

God Bless,
Nicole
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Its back. Wear it. (I do… a small, understated subtle one. Couldn’t give a rip what others think)

Also, there is scriptural reference in Romans as to why men remove their hats in church.
 
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Fidelis:
Funny thing about worrying about what other people think: I don’t know about you, but I have never heard or seen any negative reaction toward women who wear veils in my parish. Perhaps there are those who think it, but the purpose of wearing a veil does not hinge on their opinion, but whether you personally feel it’s a fitting and worthy thing to do.

I remember when our family started saying grace before eating in public, we were very self-conscious about it. But after doing it for some time, not only were we not loudly denounced and castigated as over-pious Papists, several people came up to us and remarked how lovely it was to see a family say grace together. So you see, fear of public opinion should be the least of your worries. 🙂
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Excellent points! I have a negative reaction to people wearing belly shirts, shorts and tank tops to Mass but that doesn’t seem to have stopped them. I wear a chapel-cap and I really have no concern for other people’s opinions. My husband’s opinion is the only one I care about (after God’s, of course.) God knows the sincerity of my motives. And you know what, just as you said, I have gotten 0 negative reactions. Not a one. People get used to it. They have always known where I stand (I’m in a very, very liberal parish. I could tell stories that would make you cringe.) so I’m sure it came as no surprise. The only acknowledgement that I ever got was on a Holy Day of Obligation last year, a man came up to me and handed me a flier of an orthodox Holy Hour (that celebrates our Lady of Fatima) that was going on in another church. In other words, he pegged me as someone who would be interested.
 
What is the signficance, if any of the color of the veil? I’ve seen black, white and red with white being the most common. I want to buy my wife one as a gift. Is there anything I need to be aware of?
 
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kjvail:
What is the signficance, if any of the color of the veil? I’ve seen black, white and red with white being the most common. I want to buy my wife one as a gift. Is there anything I need to be aware of?
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I am not sure but I think that unmarried girls wear white. I wear a variety of colors (black, cream, blue).
 
It’s my understanding that the covering or uncovering of heads is related to authority. For men, in Gospel times, and for many men even now, the hat is a symbol of authority. By removing their hats to pray, we show respect for the King of Kings.

Women are under the authority of their fathers and mothers, or of their husbands, and by covering their heads, they express their submission to the will of God.

They are also help the men avoid distraction. It reveals their respect for me personally and for all men when they sacrifice a few looks to help me avoid sin.

Veils in Gospel times as in “The Passion of the Christ” were really covering a lot, though they were not quite as severe as what modern Moslem women wear on their heads.

The wearing of veils is so rare, that it had a profound effect on me, on one occasion. At Mass, a woman, wearing a veil, with her little daughter, also wearing her veil, moved me very, very deeply with gratitude to God for her, her femininity, and the fact that she had passed on the teaching to her child.
 
Well, the veil is in the Bible!
4 Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings shame upon his head. 5 But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head unveiled brings shame upon her head, for it is one and the same thing as if she had had her head shaved. 6 For if a woman does not have her head veiled, she may as well have her hair cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should wear a veil.
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(I Corinthians 11:3-16)

I can’t give you the Latin reason for head covering but I can give you the Light of the East! 🙂

On the Covering of Heads:
stjohndc.org/what/9408c.htm

God Bless!
 
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