Why Do Nuns Wear Veils?

[uruviel]

My friend asked me this the other day. And whereas I had my own answers, I'm curious to see what y'all have to say about it. Simply put, why do nuns wear a veil?

[VeniteAdoremus]

I think the main reason is that all women used to veil their hair, and nuns simply didn't stop. It's a form of modesty.

[DameAgnes]

Well aside from the fact that originally nuns wore what all the women were wearing, nuns continue to do so as a self-effacement...also as liberation from having to worry about or dress their hair, I think! ;-)

[the lords sheep]

The veil has evolved to be bridal symbolism- the Sister/Nun wears it to represent that she is a bride of Christ... It's interesting though, because I've been told that the bride originally began to wear a veil when she was married as a copy of the veil of the religious sisters.

[zunshynn]

A nun is consecrated to God... in the past, that which is consecrated to God has always been veiled. i.e., the Tabernacle, sacred vessels, etc.

Also, a woman's hair is considered her glory, traditionally. She veils her hair to express humility before the glory of God, whom she wishes to glorify with her being, disappearing completely in him. This is why the color of the veil has such meaning. For Poor Clares, the black veil means death, whereas the white symbolizes purity.

And it is bridal symbolism... The Habit is her wedding gown. Womanhood has a particular holiness that calls for veiling, namely that she partakes in God's creative work by bearing life, in a special way, which is primarily why brides wear a veil, and nuns simply always wear their wedding gown, because they have an eternal groom, and are preparing for an eternal wedding feast.

Edited August 21, 2009 by zunshynn

[Sister Rose Therese]

A few thoughts.

In general most peoples in the past had some kind of head covering. When you think that they didn't have central heat, sun screen... you can understand why. Women would have worn a veil or bonnet of some kind.

In early times, at least in the east, women did not show their hair in public once they were married. In Europe, a married woman would never wear her hair down. They may also have had limits like in the east in some places, but I don't know for sure.

Even in my grandmother's day, you did not leave the house without your hat and gloves.

Then, up until Vatican II, women would never have gone into a church without a head covering, whether that be veil or hat.

Like many things that we use or do in Church, the veil has developed symbolic meanings. The wearing of a veil does have bridal symbolism. Probably because a woman would wear a veil, after marriage. Black, possibly because a married woman or a widowed woman would wear a black veil.

Also, like a tabernacle is veiled, the veil is a sign that the one wearing it is consecrated to the Lord, set apart.

[Saint Therese]

The veil is the sign of their consecration.

[uruviel]

Thanks y'all My answers were pretty much the same, although I didn't think of the veils of the tabernacle and such relating to the veil of a nun. Most people would just say, it's modest. But I wanted a deeper reason behind the veil. A nun just wouldn't be a nun without one, but why? I think yall answered it nicely.

Btw, Saint Therese, I love your headline "Adoremus in Aeternum"... Sanctissimum Sacramentum It's a beatiful phrase.

[zunshynn]

[quote name='uruviel' date='21 August 2009 - 09:58 PM' timestamp='1250913486' post='1954149']
Btw, Saint Therese, I love your headline "Adoremus in Aeternum"... Sanctissimum Sacramentum It's a beatiful phrase.
[/quote]

IAWTC

[Vincent Vega]

Is it not also done in imitation of Our Lady? Or does that just tie in with the historical(ish) significance?

[Saint Therese]

[quote name='uruviel' date='21 August 2009 - 11:58 PM' timestamp='1250913486' post='1954149']


Btw, Saint Therese, I love your headline "Adoremus in Aeternum"... Sanctissimum Sacramentum It's a beatiful phrase.
[/quote]


[quote name='zunshynn' date='22 August 2009 - 12:00 AM' timestamp='1250913654' post='1954150']
IAWTC
[/quote]
Thank you! Adoration is pretty much everything to me.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Saint Therese

[Indwelling Trinity]

Laughing...to cover a multitude of sins!

[LilyofSaintMaria]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='21 August 2009 - 01:12 AM' timestamp='1250827949' post='1953644']
A nun is consecrated to God... in the past, that which is consecrated to God has always been veiled. i.e., the Tabernacle, sacred vessels, etc.

Also, a woman's hair is considered her glory, traditionally. She veils her hair to express humility before the glory of God, whom she wishes to glorify with her being, disappearing completely in him. This is why the color of the veil has such meaning. For Poor Clares, the black veil means death, whereas the white symbolizes purity.

And it is bridal symbolism... The Habit is her wedding gown. Womanhood has a particular holiness that calls for veiling, namely that she partakes in God's creative work by bearing life, in a special way, which is primarily why brides wear a veil, and nuns simply always wear their wedding gown, because they have an eternal groom, and are preparing for an eternal wedding feast.
[/quote]

Very well put, thank you!

[uruviel]

[quote name='Saint Therese' date='22 August 2009 - 01:15 AM' timestamp='1250918105' post='1954183']
Thank you! Adoration is pretty much everything to me.
[/quote]

Ditto.

[StColette]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' date='22 August 2009 - 12:33 AM' timestamp='1250915584' post='1954162']
Is it not also done in imitation of Our Lady? Or does that just tie in with the historical(ish) significance?
[/quote]

I would say it has something to do with imitation of Our Lady, but the reason that Mary veiled and is viewed in art as veiled is because of the ancient custom of women being veiled during the time in which she lived. Veiling during that time period, as someone pointed out, had very practically purposes. It helped to keep the body warm during the winter, as most of your body heat escapes through your head and feet. It also helped protect the top of the head and face from becoming sunburned. The color of the veil also had special meaning. A blue veil signified virginity and a non-blue (usually black or brown) signified that a woman was married/widowed.

[Macies]

Sister Rose Therese pretty much covered it. Over the years, colors began to have more significance than they did earlier when religious life was first being organized. There are some accounts of St. Hildegard urging her nuns to dress in pretty colors...but the general rule regarding black indicating "dead to the world" is correct - though that is a stark statement. (Yes, widows used black veils to indicate mourning, which is different than a nun using a black veil to indicate her removal from the world.) The RSCJ's (Religious of the Sacred Heart, founded in France) dressed as widows during the French Revolution (for obvious reasons)and their dress stuck as a habit (until VatII) - they were even referred to as "Madame Smith" (as opposed to "Sister Mary Smith". There are many resources available on the dress of women religious and the use of the veil. If anybody is really interested in this topic (as opposed to just a cursory interest) please contact me and I will send you some links.

[elizabeth09]

Not all sisters wear the habit today like they did before Vatican II, but some still wear the full habit. But I think that has to do with Vatican II.

[dauntingknight]

They hide their hair for their spouse.
Who is Christ himself.

[elizabeth09]

dauntingknight, right, like their wadding day is like every day.

[TradMom]

[quote name='Macies' date='26 August 2009 - 01:31 PM' timestamp='1251307868' post='1956346']
Sister Rose Therese pretty much covered it. Over the years, colors began to have more significance than they did earlier when religious life was first being organized. There are some accounts of St. Hildegard urging her nuns to dress in pretty colors...but the general rule regarding black indicating "dead to the world" is correct - though that is a stark statement. (Yes, widows used black veils to indicate mourning, which is different than a nun using a black veil to indicate her removal from the world.) The RSCJ's (Religious of the Sacred Heart, founded in France) dressed as widows during the French Revolution (for obvious reasons)and their dress stuck as a habit (until VatII) - they were even referred to as "Madame Smith" (as opposed to "Sister Mary Smith". There are many resources available on the dress of women religious and the use of the veil. If anybody is really interested in this topic (as opposed to just a cursory interest) please contact me and I will send you some links.
[/quote]

+Praised be Jesus Christ!

Sister,
You make some great points. I have long been interested in the RSCJ's and was aware that they hid during the Revolution by pretending to be widows living in common (if one looks at their original habit, it is hard to imagine THAT was the common dress of the day!). If I may add one remark which someone else touched upon...a woman covering her hair for their husband came from the Jewish tradition. Orthodox women still practice that today as do other religions for the same reason. As for Vatican II, religious orders were asked to return to their original charism/roots and many communities felt that when they were founded, the foundress (or founder) designed the "habit" merely as a simple, common dress. Over the years it became a sign of sacred dress/sanctity, etc. There was once a time when all women did cover their heads (Judeo/Christian - speaking) and since that had ceased by Vatican II, the communities let go of that, in keeping with the original intent of their foundress/founder and returned to common dress (lay). The "suggestions" made by Vatican II are still under discussion and I am sure this current Apostolic Visitation will touch on the subject.
Pax,
TradMom