The practice among women of wearing a veil in early Christian worship services. The apostle Paul argued that a woman participating in the services ought to have her head covered <1 Cor. 11:2-16>. The veil covered the head but did not hide the face.

According to Paul, it was a "symbol of authority" <1 Cor. 11:10>. The Christian woman had received a new freedom and spiritual authority from Christ . Thus she was able to pray and prophesy in the services. By wearing the veil, however, she would show that her authority had come from God; she had not seized it herself. Without the veil she might offend recent Jewish converts or others who held to the ancient tradition that women ought always to be veiled in public as a sign of modesty.

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

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