Why Do Catholics Wear Veils at Mass?

October 29, 2026|Andrea, Go2MARY founder

Some Catholic women cover their heads at Mass as a sign of reverence, a custom rooted in St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Church law required it until 1983. Today it is a personal choice: you may wear a veil, a mantilla or a scarf, or nothing at all.

At a glance

Where it comes from: 1 Corinthians 11:2–16
Required by: the 1917 Code of Canon Law, canon 1262
Today: not required since the 1983 Code of Canon Law
What counts: any modest head covering, not only lace

Where does the custom come from?

The practice goes back to St. Paul. In 1 Corinthians 11, he asks the women of Corinth to cover their heads when they pray or prophesy in the assembly. The note in the US bishops' New American Bible explains that women in Corinth had been worshiping without the head covering that was normal in Greek society at the time, and that Paul wanted them to return to the common practice.

For centuries afterwards, women in many Catholic communities covered their heads in church as a matter of custom.

Was it ever required?

Yes, for most of the 20th century. The 1917 Code of Canon Law, canon 1262, said that women at sacred rites should have a covered head and be modestly dressed, especially when receiving Communion. The canon did not name any particular kind of covering.

By the 1970s the practice had largely faded in many countries. In 1976, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in its declaration Inter Insigniores, called the veil a disciplinary practice of minor importance and said that “such requirements no longer have a normative value.”

The 1983 Code of Canon Law, the one in force today, did not repeat canon 1262. Its canon 6 abrogated the 1917 Code, so the legal requirement ended. Women are free to cover their heads at Mass, and free not to.

Why do some women still wear one?

Women who choose to veil usually describe it as a personal act of devotion. The reasons they most often give are:

Reverence in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Following the example of Mary, who is traditionally shown with her head covered.
A small, physical reminder to pray and to be recollected at Mass.

These are personal reasons, not Church requirements. If you are unsure, talk with your priest.

Veil, mantilla or scarf: what can you wear?

Because the 1917 canon asked only for a covered head, any modest covering serves the purpose. A mantilla is a lace veil, often long, from the Spanish tradition. A chapel veil is usually a smaller, round or triangular lace piece. A scarf works just as well, and it is often the easier choice when traveling, because it doubles as a sun cover or shoulder wrap.

How to wear a square scarf as a head covering

Use a large square scarf. Ours is 50 × 50 inches.
Fold it in half corner to corner to make a triangle.
Place the long folded edge across your forehead or just behind your hairline.
Let the point fall down the back of your head.
Bring both ends forward over your shoulders, and let them hang or cross them loosely under your chin.
If it slips, secure it with a small clip or a bobby pin.

Pilgrim tip: on a pilgrimage, one large scarf can cover your head at Mass, your shoulders when you enter a church, and your neck in the sun on the climb. Customs vary by church and country, so follow what you see locally.

A head covering for Mass and the road

Our light scarves come in two sizes. The 50 × 50 inch size works as a head covering. See the Clothed with the Sun scarf in sunburst yellow, or the Go to Him scarf in blue.

Packing for a pilgrimage? Read what to pack and wear for Medjugorje.