There is some discussion over whether it is proper for women to wear a chapel veil over at Fr. Z's blog, Feminine Genius (Fr. Z's response), and now the Cornell Society for a Good Time. It's been asked whether men should not wear headcovering as well, to show humility before God. On the other hand, there's St. Paul's argument that men should be uncovered (1 Cor 11:2-16).
Nonetheless, I did have the following questions:
1. When are monks permitted to have the cowl over their head and when are the forbidden from doing so?
2. What would St. Paul make of the practice of Jewish men wearing a headcovering? How long has this custom been observed? (Since before the coming of Christ?) Some of the Jewish men are shown with headcoverings (e.g., the Pharisees and Simon of Cyrene) in The Passion of the Christ, but St. John does not have one (especially at the Crucifixion).
If the argumentation behind St. Paul's injunction pertains to the relationship beetween husband and wife, then why should single women need to ear the veil? (So this Messianic Jewish website would argue.) But the words in the passage seem to refer more to the relationship between men and women in general?
Headcovering in Jewish Law
Question 11.1.2: Dress: Why do many Jewish men wear head coverings ...
Having worn a hood while in church to pray I can say that it has helped to block everything else out and more over foster certain interior dispositions towards prayer.
A Protestant's take on the question
1 comment:
The Carthusians have rubrics that say when to cover and uncover with their cowl in Mass and Choir.
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