Veil

For various reasons, the issue of women veiling themselves as part of their faith has become a matter of public concern among some within twenty-first century Britain. Israelite women in biblical times rarely wore face veils (except as brides), although they often covered their heads. Within Greek and Roman society, married women usually covered their heads when out in public but face-veiling was uncommon when Christianity got off the ground.

As far as the Bible is concerned, there is very little mention of veiling, except to say that unlike Moses, Christians are all to go about with their faces unveiled (2 Corinthians 3.12-18). There is, however, an extended discussion of women wearing headcoverings/ veils in 1 Corinthians 11.1-16. This passage is understood differently among Christians. Some believe that it requires all women to wear a headcovering during worship services as a sign of modesty. This interpretation has a long history, especially in the past within Catholicism.

Others believe, looking to a particular translation of 11.10, that the passage actually empowers women to make a decision for themselves on this point. Still others would argue that it refers to the ancient Roman custom of wives wearing a shawl on their heads when out in public (called a palla), to show that they were married (the equivalent activity in our time would be wearing a wedding ring).