Headcoverings

The practice of living the life in Christ: fasting, vigil lamps, head-coverings, family life, icon corners, and other forms of Orthopraxy. All Forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.
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Maria
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Headcoverings

Post by Maria »

I found some interesting webstes that feature headcoverings.

Although this one particular veil would be seen more in Armenian churches, it is very lovely. I love the embroidered cross as it draws attention to Christ.

https://www.annaveils.com/product-page/ ... eils-cross

Then there are these, which are feminine and pious.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LiturgicalTime (in the UK)

As a woman who covers 24/7 for the sake of the angel and as a reminder to pray unceasingly, I prefer cotton triangular scarves or square scarves that are folded into a triangle. I usually wear them tied under my chin. However, in the hot summer, I may occasionally wear a small scarf folded into a head band and then tied or pinned (using a safety pin) behind my neck.

After a hot and humid day, for evening prayers, I will wear a rectangular light cotton scarf draped over my head. However, it is distracting as it tends to slip and fall from my head.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Barbara
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Re: Headcoverings

Post by Barbara »

What a nice find, Maria ! The Anna Veils, I mean.

I investigated the site and saw this cute introduction from Anna, the creator of the company :

"We started to make holy Catholic veils 4 years ago in Korea, South.

"We design, embroider, iron and pack the veils with all our heart.

"Our beautiful veils have holy, noble and unique design.

"They are elegant, comfortable and you look more beautiful in our veils."


She is right about that last statement !

I personally prefer the more elaborate, densely laced selections. And white color as opposed to black which looks too somber, except for Great and Holy Friday.

This company should become much better known. Traditional Catholics would love these veils.

Many chapel veils I have seen in catalogs do not look like they would pass muster when taken out of the package. Some lace can LOOK nice in pictures, but close up is flimsy and cheap.

Instead, these appear to be superior quality, though one would have to buy an Anna Veil to be sure.
The ideas are original, too : the veils with Our Lady of Grace and the Cross, which Maria showed us, woven into the back of them. That is imaginative. Hope this creative company can gain a larger market share here in North America. Europe already has a long tradition of mantillas, with many still made in Spain as it used to be part of the traditional Spanish dress for well brought up ladies. But North Americans have more limited choices and perhaps are stuck with cheap Chinese imports which are surprisingly costly for their low quality.

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Barbara
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Re: Headcoverings

Post by Barbara »

Maria, congratulations on your covering full time ! That is excellent to hear.

I have a question : do you think that the cotton scarves must be white to avoid those poisonous dyes from other countries ?
Or do you wear colored scarves without worry ?

[ I have never forgotten that you mentioned that tea mugs should be white rather than colored. In fact I did order white after you pointed that out. It made me aware that this problem of toxic dyes could occur in many fields today. ]

Also, how long are most of your scarves ?? How far do they reach ?

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Maria
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Re: Headcoverings

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Father John Whiteford's article Because of the Angels is excellent.

To read the entire article, please visit http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2016/01/ ... ngels.html

So why should a woman wear a head covering "because of the angels"? There are four interpretations of this.

  1. Tertullian interpreted this to refer to angels being tempted by the daughters of men, but this interpretation hinges on his interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4, which was rejected by most of the Fathers of the Church (See: Stump the Priest: Giants in the Bible?).

  2. Ambrosiaster interpreted the angels as a reference to bishops, based on an interpretation some give to the angels mention in conjunction with the seven Churches:

    "The veil signifies power, and the angels are bishops, as it says in the Revelation of John, where, because they are men, they are criticized for not rebuking the people, though good behavior on their part is also praised" (Ancient Christian Texts: Commentaries on Romans and 1-2 Corinthians, Ambrosiaster, translated and edited by Gerald L. Bray (Downers Grove, IL: Intervasity Press, 2009) p. 143).p. 172).

  3. St. Cyril of Alexandria interpreted this to mean that the angels are offended by women who are disobedient, and show disregard for this practice:

  4. Blessed Theodoret interprets this to mean that women who disregard this practice offend the guardian angels of the men who might be distracted in prayer by their lack of modesty; and their own guardian angels as well:

    "By authority he referred to the covering, as it is to say, Let her show her subjection by covering herself, and not least for the sake of the angels, who are set over human beings and entrusted with their care. Likewise also in acts, "It is not he, but his angel" [Acts 12:15]; and the Lord, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones who believe in me: Amen I say to you, their angels continually look upon the face of my Father in heaven" [Matthew 18:10] ( (Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus, Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, Vol. 1, trans. Robert Charles Hill, (Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2001), p. 205).

The interpretations of St. Cyril and Blessed Theodoret are by no means mutually exclusive, and I think together, they make the best sense of this verse.

I have heard various interpretations in the past, usually provided by Protestant-influenced writers or Orthodox Christian women who had converted from Protestantism. However, Father John provides the best interpretation as provided by the Church Fathers.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Maria
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Re: Headcoverings

Post by Maria »

Below is Father John's latest article from which I have only quoted one small paragraph.

http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2017/06/ ... s-and.html

But how can we be sure that St. Paul really intended to say that this was something he expected of all Christian women, regardless of the cultural norms of their society? Well, for one thing, he brackets this passage with two appeals to the tradition of the Church. At the beginning, he says: "Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the traditions, as I delivered them to you." And at the end of this passage, addressing those who wish to do contrary to this tradition, he says in verse 16: "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do the churches of God." The universal practice of the Church (and even of those mainstream Christian groups outside of the Orthodox Church) prior to the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show was for women to cover their heads in Church. I was raised in an Evangelical Protestant context, but I am old enough to remember the vestiges of this practice as a boy, even among the non-liturgical "holy-rollers" that I observed. And so we know that this is what St. Paul meant, because this is how two millennia of Christians have understood what he meant. It is only within living memory (i.e. post-sexual revolution) that this question has suddenly become a problem for some.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Barbara
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Re: Headcoverings

Post by Barbara »

Regarding that last sentence, I often lament this about many things, like the permissive practice of people living together without marriage, etc. etc. The old order which worked well for nearly 2000 years suddenly got overturned. Why do so few question why the new ways were superimposed upon the old, with the result that anyone defending the old system is ridiculed and mocked ? The reason can only be that a nefarious plan is being perpetrated.

That article was well done. I had never heard of that fake Orthodox person and his rebellious blog. It's good that traditional-minded clergy are stepping up to tackle these ridiculous and exceedingly flimsy standpoints. The new Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary, Archpriest Alexander Webster is another American convert priest who is ably refuting these diabolical writings.

I thought the use of the clip from the movie made from the book about Peter Marshall written by his wife was excellent.
That should prove to any modernist critics that even in the Protestant denominations, a demure hat was de rigueur for women.
Catholics women were wearing more conservative head attire in the form of lacy mantillas until the early 1960s, as we have mentioned elsewhere on the forum.

The picture of an attractive woman of indistinct nationality - probably Russian, though - wearing a head scarf wrapped around the neck was a great illustration for Fr John Whiteford's essay. The image conveyed the idea without words that women can retain their attractiveness while comporting themselves respectfully in Church.

In fact, headcoverings do not consign a woman to dowdiness but, judging from this photo, they can enhance the appearance of some churchgoers. A well-arranged scarf is an asset : it makes the wearer appear ethereal and graceful, even mysterious.

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