The Importance of Veiling
The number one question I tend to get is, "How did you find the Eastern Orthodox Church," with the expected answer always being something like research or someone else told me to try it. However, my actual answer is, "I wanted to find a church to start practicing veiling."
I grew up your typical Midwestern, Evangelical Protestant in Southern Ohio. I went to church every Sunday with my grandparents up until I was about 13, around the time I realized I was unsatisfied with my church. I did my research on and off for a few years of different denominations and joined a Methodist-based Christian sorority in college, dabbled in Buddhism like every Gen-Z high schooler has, and even was a self-proclaimed Atheist for a few years. Senior year of college and the pandemic forced me to start looking a little deeper and suddenly, I was hit in the face with veiling for Christian women.
Veiling was NEVER something I had ever considered up until this point in my life. If you asked me what my opinion was several years ago, I would probably make a comment on how restricting and oppressive it was, women shouldn't be forced to wear a piece of fabric on their heads if they want to attend church! It seemed foreign and insane to me.
I can't remember exactly how I came across veiling, but all I remember is watching some video on Jewish Orthodox women and the importance of the tichel and the sheitel to them. I was fascinated by this, that something that seemed so restrictive actually gave them a freedom in God's grace. For the next few weeks, I couldn't stop thinking about it and what it meant for a Christian. Could I wear it too? Would someone mistake me as an Orthodox Jew or Muslim? Is this something Protestants even do?
I suddenly was drawn to it, the beauty in this sign of humility before God, as well as a reminder of the bridal relationship between Christ and the church. Every time I now wear a head covering in church, I know I am in obedience to God’s command in Scripture, and being respectful for the holy traditions of the Orthodox Church. "Head coverings encourage humility. Godly women come to church to focus on worship, not to draw attention to themselves. A girl may be tempted to show off an attractive hairdo. When a woman wears a headcovering, this temptation is removed. She can focus on prayer, instead of on hair."
St. Paul said in the first epistle to the Corinthians, "Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head.” (1 Corinthians 11:5). A beautiful article I read as well quotes looking up to the Theotokos and the Saints as examples, "Virtually every icon of an Orthodox woman displays her wearing a headcovering. As far as I know, the only exception is St. Mary of Egypt, and she was a solitary saint who lived alone in the desert, far away from any people. Among the female saints who participated in society, all of them wore headcoverings, and their headcoverings are shown in icons. Even Mary the Mother of God–the most blessed woman in the entire universe–is shown in icons, wearing a headcovering. Can you think of a better role-model for women?"
I encourage each and every women to at least try veiling in church, especially when there are so many options to stylistically pick from!
A beautiful quotes and some visual examples of how to wear a veil to finish, "My wearing a head covering is not only a symbol or sign that I am in agreement with His order, but that I visibly, willingly submit to it. With submission comes blessing.” (Christa Conrad)
