[Ansteorra] Veiling

[Coblaith Muimnech]

Lady Grainne Kathleen NicPadraig MacDaniel
> Recently, I attended a traditional Catholic mass, and about 90% of the 
> women had their hair veiled.

Lady Maria commented:
> Being a 3rd Generation Italian American brought up as a Roman 
> Catholic, I can tell you that many women wore a scarf looking thing of 
> lace. . .I think it was partly cultural and partly for religious 
> reasons.

Lady Grainne Kathleen NicPadraig MacDaniel responded:
> At the mass I went to, the women there all seemed to be of varying 
> cultures so I'm not entirely sure if it's also cultural. . .

All women entering certain Catholic churches are required to cover 
their hair (as in, someone will turn you back at the door if your head 
is bare), and the practice is strongly encouraged in many others.  
Female tourists in Italy are often warned by their guides to carry a 
scarf of some sort with them when they go to look at art and monuments, 
to ensure they get a chance to see the inside of all the cathedrals, 
basilicas, etc. they want to see.

It might be that the church you visited is one of those that doesn't 
actually bar the entrance of bare-headed women but does quietly but 
firmly suggest to anyone who comes back more than once or twice that it 
would be more appropriate if they put on a shawl or something.


Coblaith Muimnech
<mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>