Why do we cover statues during Lent?

[James_Pitstick]

Why are the statues covered with purple during Lent?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

There are various symbolic reasons that statues were historically covered during certain portions of Lent. These origins relate to various historical local customs and liturgies. In times when people were mostly illiterate these customs reinforced the solemness of the Lenten season.
In modern times statues are still covered for basically the same reason: a visual reminder of the gravity of Holy Week. Veiling of statues and images reminds us to focus not on symbols of the events but literally on the events themselves which we are about to celebrate.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia:

The veiling of crosses and images is a sort of “fasting” from sacred depictions which represent the paschal glory of our salvation. Just as the Lenten fast concludes with the Paschal feast, so too, our fasting from the cross culminates in an adoration of the holy wood on which the sacrifice of Calvary was offered for our sins. Likewise, a fasting from the glorious images of the mysteries of faith and the saints in glory, culminates on the Easter nightwith a renewed appreciation of the glorious victory won by Christ, risen from the tomb to win for us eternal life.