The sight of nuns adorned in their distinctive attire, complete with a veil that conceals their faces, has long captivated the curiosity of many. This practice, deeply rooted in religious tradition and symbolism, holds profound meaning for those who choose to embrace it. In this exploration, we will delve into the reasons why nuns cover their faces, examining the historical, cultural, and spiritual significance of this custom.
A Sign of Consecration and Separation
For nuns, the veil serves as a visible symbol of their consecration to God. By donning it, they signify their separation from the secular world and their commitment to a life of prayer, service, and devotion. Just as a married woman wears a wedding ring to indicate her union with her spouse, the veil represents the nun’s spiritual marriage to Christ.
Biblical and Jewish Roots
The practice of veiling has its origins in both biblical and Jewish traditions. In the Old Testament, married women were expected to cover their heads as a sign of modesty and respect for their husbands. This custom was later adopted by Christian nuns, who saw it as a way to emulate the humility and obedience of the Virgin Mary.
Following the Example of St. Clare
The Franciscan order, to which many nuns belong, traces its roots back to St. Clare of Assisi. When St. Clare renounced her worldly possessions to follow Christ, she cut off her hair and donned a veil. This act symbolized her rejection of the world and her embrace of a life of poverty and service.
Modesty and Humility
In addition to its spiritual significance, the veil also serves a practical purpose of promoting modesty and humility. By concealing their faces, nuns avoid drawing attention to themselves and instead focus on their inner lives and their relationship with God.
A Reminder of Mortality
For some nuns, the veil serves as a constant reminder of their mortality. By covering their faces, they acknowledge the transience of earthly beauty and the importance of focusing on the eternal.
Diversity of Veiling Practices
While the practice of veiling is common among nuns, the specific style and design of the veil can vary depending on the religious order and cultural context. Some nuns wear simple, white veils, while others may opt for more elaborate and colorful designs.
The veil worn by nuns is a multifaceted symbol that embodies their consecration to God, their humility, and their commitment to a life of service. Rooted in biblical and Jewish traditions, the veil serves as a reminder of their separation from the world and their unwavering devotion to Christ. By understanding the significance of the veil, we gain a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of religious practices and beliefs that shape our world.
This covering of sacred objects refers to a type of hiddenness that invites us into the depths of mystery so that the mysterious can emerge, rather than seeking to conceal in the negative sense. In the Old Testament, Moses veiled his face. The Holy of Holies was veiled. Brides are often veiled before the “veil is lifted. The appearance of bread and wine “veiled” before us even Jesus, the infinite God whose glory is revealed in heaven. According to a fantastic priest, “Just as the virtue of modesty has the effect of allowing something to become what it is—mysterious and beautiful—just by virtue of being hidden.” ”.
A lovely devotion that could edify the Body of Christ as a whole is wearing a veil to Mass. It is a scriptural means of highlighting the reality and majesty of God’s Real Presence in the Eucharist, of reminding all believers of the covenantal character of God’s love for His people, and, specifically, of reassuring women like me—whom the devil frequently targets with a sense of diminished self-worth—that we are beloved daughters of God, deserving of faith in His goodness.
The sexual revolution of the 1950s and 60s brought about a shift in the Church. Radical feminists believed that women’s veils were a symbol of oppression and urged them to remove them. Subsequently, a Vatican official’s remarks at a press conference in May 1969 were misinterpreted as indicating that women were no longer obliged to cover their heads in church.
According to the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, women who assist at Holy Mass are not obliged to wear a chapel veil. However, as was customary when the 1962 Missale Romanum was in effect, it is expected that women who assist at Mass in accordance with the Extraordinary Form cover their heads. Nonetheless, attending Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form without a veil is not a sin.
As a result of the widespread disregard of the original requirement for women to wear a head covering in church, it was eventually omitted from 1983 Code of Canon Law, currently in force. Cardinal Burke, then-Prefect of the Supreme Apostolic Signatura, stated in a private letter:
The primary component of our custom is the “tunic,” or “dress.” “Why don’t we refer to that portion of our habit as a dress? Wouldn’t that be a more feminine way? “Tunic” is a “unisex word,” which seems very unfeminine. However, we decide to use words that are different from words in the outside world to emphasize how our clothes are not like clothes in the outside world. We refer to the space where we eat as the “refectory” rather than the “dining room” in other areas of our lives. Why? Because we don’t eat in the same manner as laypeople. Laypeople don’t eat by themselves, in a row, while reading aloud. We eat in different ways, so it makes sense to give the space where religious people eat a unique name. Similar terms include “cell” in place of “bedroom” and “collation” in place of “supper.”
On top of the tunic we wear a scapular. Why wear a scapular? It seems like a pretty pointless piece of apparel, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons it vanished from many religious people’s routines in the changes made following the Second Vatican Council. The scapular is not only ineffective, but it may even be detrimental. When you bend over, the hanging scapular gets in the way; in a strong wind, it blows into your neighbor’s face, etc.
It is customary in our Catholic tradition to veil anything that is considered a sacred mystery. God has ordained the veiling of the sacred; it is not just a human custom. He was the one who gave Moses precise instructions on how to construct the tabernacle, instructing him to “make this dwelling and all its furnishings exactly according to the pattern that I will now show you” (Ex 25:8–9). “You shall have a veil woven of violet, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, with cherubim embroidered on it,” stated one of the specifications. Hang the veil from clasps. Behind the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, you are to bring the Ark of the Commandments inside (Ex 26:31–33).
[4] Even though we could counter that we would be mistaken for Muslim women and point to a different God, even if they mistake us for Muslims Furthermore, it appears that unlike us, conservative Muslim women do try to conceal themselves behind a formless cover.
By donning veils, we Sisters incorporate ourselves into an incredibly ancient custom that predates Christianity. In ancient Greek culture, respectable married women wore a veil. Extant is an Assyrian law from ca. 1400–1100 B. C. which mandates that widows and married women must always wear veils when they are in public It was frowned upon in classical Greece for a married woman to show her hair to anyone but her husband. The most noticeable aspect of the bride’s attire on her wedding day in Rome was her veil, known as the flammeum.
Why Nuns Cover Their Hair
FAQ
Do they shave nuns hair?
What do nuns cover their heads with?
What is it called that nuns wear on their head?
Why do nuns lay face down?
Do nuns wear veils?
The veil covers a nun’s head and then falls down the back. The nuns mostly wear traditional veils during religious ceremonies. Coif – This type of head covering is usually worn under the veil. It consists of a rounded brim that frames the face. Nuns wear the coif to keep their hair tidy and secure the veil.
Do Catholic nuns shave their heads?
Following in the tradition and habit (excellent pun intended) of St. Clare, nuns of Catholic orders have continued to cover their heads. Theosis Christian says that nuns sometimes shave their heads, too. Going back to 1 Corinthians 11, Paul says that long hair on a woman “is her glory,” and that God gave women long hair “as a covering.”
Why do nuns wear a coif?
Nuns wear the coif to keep their hair tidy and secure the veil. Cornette – This is one of the oldest types of headwear that nuns used to wear back in the 1800s. It resembles horns since it has a starched piece of cloth that is folded upward. It was commonly worn by a Roman Catholic Society known as the Daughters of Charity.
What did a nun wear?
A nun was expected to wear simple clothing as a symbol of her shunning of worldly goods and distractions. The long tunic was typical attire, with a veil to cover all but the face as a symbol of her role as a ‘Bride of Christ’. The veil hid the nun’s hair which had to be kept cut short.