Veiling theology

TLDR

Women veil in church because the Church veils what is sacred—it’s a sign of reverence and modesty that affirms equal dignity with distinct symbolism, not inferiority.

Can you find out everything that is veiled (sacred) in this photo?

The practice of veiling in the Church

For most of its history, women veiling in the Church has been the norm. Until 1983, women veiling was mandatory, as seen in Canon 1262 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law:

1. It is desirable that, consistent with ancient discipline, women be separated from men in church.

2. Men, in a church or outside a church, while they are assisting at sacred rites, shall be bare-headed, unless the approved mores of the people or peculiar circumstances of things determine otherwise; women, however, shall have a covered head and be modestly dressed, especially when they approach the table of the Lord.

In 1983, the new Code of Canon Law removed the universal legal obligation to veil, though it remains a venerable custom, with deep and profound significance and beauty.

It has strong biblical origins, with Paul commanding it in 1 Cor 11:2-16, with precedent in Genesis 24:65, strong imagery being used in Exodus 26:33, Numbers 4:5, and 2 Chronicles 3:14, and analogical symbolism in Luke 1:35 and Revelation 12:1.

The purpose of the veil

The veil is used to distinguish the sacred. To be sacred is to be “set apart”. The veil thus signals the veiled object as worthy of protection and reverence.

The veiling of sacred things can be observed especially in worship:

1. In Exodus 26:33, the veil separates the “Holy of Holies”
2. In Numbers 4:5, the Ark of the Covenant is to be covered with a veil
3. In 2 Chronicles 3:14, Solomon’s Temple had a great veil dividing sacred space.

The veiling symbolism has not been lost in the New Covenant. The Church continues this practice by veiling:

1. The Tabernacle: the dwelling place of the Eucharist outside of Mass is covered with a tabernacle veil.
2. The Ciborium: the vessel that holds the Eucharist that stays inside the Tabernacle also has a white or gold veil.
3. The Chalice and Paten: the sacred vessels that are used to consecrate and hold the precious body and blood of Christ during Mass.
4. The Altar: the holy place where the Sacrifice of Christ is offered, covered with white altar linens (and sometimes frontal cloth as well (antependium)).

Why clothes matter

One of the most profound mysteries of the Christian faith is the incarnation. God became man. St John warns against denying this mystery (1 John 4:2-3). Not only that, God himself created matter, “and it was very good” (Gen 1:31).

That is to say: Our worship should not be “purely spiritual” or “disembodied”, rather, we should present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). God became man to redeem us through our bodies, not from our bodies.

And it is because of this that both in the Old Covenant and in the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit has guided the people of God to assemble liturgy that embeds profound mysteries that can be captured by all senses. Thus, visual symbolism, music and smell all matter deeply, alongside body posture and clothing, that can both have deep meanings and guide implicitly the heart to adequate worship, even if the individual itself doesn’t explicitly understand everything.

The veiling of women

As veiling is used to signal the most sacred things, it follows that women’s veiling is not and has never been a sign of inferiority. The Church has always taught that men and women are equal in dignity (CCC 369-373, Gen 1:27). At the same time, they are different in nature, vocation, and mission. This divine design is expressed in nature, through the biological sexual dimorphism, and in vocation and mission, through complementary and exclusive roles each can play (father v. mother).

In nuptial / bridal theology, Christ is the bridegroom, who reveals Himself to the world, and the Church is the bride, who receives, nurtures, and conceals divine life in her womb (like Mary).

Through their bodies, man and woman express different theological truths. The man reveals God’s outward glory and initiative, while the woman reveals the receptivity of the Church, and the inner hidden mystery and beauty tied to creation. It is the husband’s role to lead, love, and sacrifice, while it is the wife’s role to submit, and to generate and nurture life inside her womb. (cf. Ephesians 5:22-24)

The veiling of women and the uncovering of headwear by men thus become foremost a liturgical act. Expressing divine truths about God:

1. The man, as an outward sign of Christ has his head uncovered demonstrating God’s revelation, action and initiative, and is an image of God’s power.
2. The woman, as an outward sign of the Church has her head veiled, demonstrating the reception and nurturing of the divine revelation, and is an image of God’s mystery and beauty.

And expressing divine truths about the relationship between them:

1. The man, as a leader and governor, uncovers his head showing his accountability to Christ.
2. The woman, as a follower, veils as a sign of submission, and as a profound sign that what is under the veil is sacred, should be protected and revered, treated with the utmost respect holy things are treated.

What about priests?

But why do priests, bishops, and even the pope have headwear? It is a liturgical vesture with its own rubrics, and it also signifies a sacred thing, as the priest is set apart for the Church service. But, it is always removed during prayer and solemn moments, as to not contradict St Paul’s norm about men praying bare-headed.