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Amid a growing trend in immodest dress and restrictions on traditional Catholic liturgy, a resurgence in the popularity of chapel veils and mantillas for women has been highlighted by secular media and described as a return to the “Biblical.”
A recent study published by The Free Press reported on observations made regarding the use of mantillas by women in churches. Titled “The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils,” the report ‘did exactly what it says on the tin,’ namely, it shone a light on the growing trend amongst women of varying ages to use a veil when inside a church.
But what exactly is the deeper meaning of using a veil in the first place?
Faith or Fashion?
Attendees of the traditional Latin Mass are more likely accustomed to the sight of uncovered heads for gentlemen in church, while ladies often don lace chapel veils or mantillas. As traditional Masses have rapidly grown in number from 2007 through 2021, so has the prevalence of the traditional custom of ladies’ head coverings.
However, this same practice has now spread outside the Latin Mass, as ladies adopt the veil to aid their devotions.
According to The Free Press’ Madeleine Kearns, “the veil boom is organic—occurring neither at the direction of, nor in defiance to, church authorities.”
Based on her conversations with several women, Kearns notes that the return of the mantillas is linked to a realization of what the liturgy is centered on, or rather, Who.
“People dress beautifully to go see the King or Queen, so it should be with the Lord,” one woman told Kearns.
Society and modern culture promote a variety of manners in which order, beauty and the traditional sense of decency are rejected—especially with regard to male and female dress. For men, wearing suits and properly ornate clothing is seen as archaic, and modest female attire is relentlessly attacked by progressives as restrictive or prudish. In spite of this, and perhaps even because of this, a return to veiling is now underway.
Veils in Early Catholic Tradition
Continued below.
www.tfp.org
A recent study published by The Free Press reported on observations made regarding the use of mantillas by women in churches. Titled “The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils,” the report ‘did exactly what it says on the tin,’ namely, it shone a light on the growing trend amongst women of varying ages to use a veil when inside a church.
But what exactly is the deeper meaning of using a veil in the first place?
Faith or Fashion?
Attendees of the traditional Latin Mass are more likely accustomed to the sight of uncovered heads for gentlemen in church, while ladies often don lace chapel veils or mantillas. As traditional Masses have rapidly grown in number from 2007 through 2021, so has the prevalence of the traditional custom of ladies’ head coverings.
However, this same practice has now spread outside the Latin Mass, as ladies adopt the veil to aid their devotions.
According to The Free Press’ Madeleine Kearns, “the veil boom is organic—occurring neither at the direction of, nor in defiance to, church authorities.”
Based on her conversations with several women, Kearns notes that the return of the mantillas is linked to a realization of what the liturgy is centered on, or rather, Who.
“People dress beautifully to go see the King or Queen, so it should be with the Lord,” one woman told Kearns.
Society and modern culture promote a variety of manners in which order, beauty and the traditional sense of decency are rejected—especially with regard to male and female dress. For men, wearing suits and properly ornate clothing is seen as archaic, and modest female attire is relentlessly attacked by progressives as restrictive or prudish. In spite of this, and perhaps even because of this, a return to veiling is now underway.
Veils in Early Catholic Tradition
Continued below.

Why Are Young Women Insisting on the Return of the Chapel Veil?
Amid a growing trend in immodest dress and restrictions on traditional Catholic liturgy, a resurgence in the popularity of chapel veils and mantillas for women
