Traditionally, a veil has been used by women since biblical times. The first mention of a veil is in Genesis 24:65, when Rebekkah was about to meet Isaac, the man to whom she was to marry. It is not clear when veils were introduced before this point, but somewhere after the Garden of Eden and by the time of Abraham, the veil was the customary covering used for women. Perhaps it was as part of the culture in the Middle East at the time. It has also been thought that veils were used by pagans to ward off evil spirits. Either way, veils were eventually used by all women of the Bible as part of the marriage ritual.
What the Veil Symbolizes
There are actually two kinds of veils. The first is what we refer to as a wedding veil. Wearing one is considered signs of purity, modesty, and submission. Those were important traits in biblical times, where men were supposed to only marry virgins. To do otherwise was a disgrace to both the woman and man, worthy of divorce and public stoning of the woman. Lifting the veil was symbolic of intimacy and a covenant relationship with the marriage partner. Since most marriages were arranged, there were also time where the bride and groom did not know each other ahead of time. Veils were even more necessary to keep the woman’s features hidden, only to be revealed after the vows, so there would be no way to back out of the commitment.
The other veil is spiritual - Moses wore one after his face shone as a result of speaking directing with God on the mountain (see Exodus 34:33). His spiritual character made the people around him uncomfortable, and his face was a reminder of his difference from the rest of them. That same sort of veil (or curtain) was used to dress the tabernacle of God, where His spirit dwelt among the people (see Hebrews 6:19). God directed Moses on its architecture, resulting in a physical place where the priests would offer prayers and sacrifices on behalf of the peoples’ sins. Through time, that concept was added to the Jewish temples, so that by the time of Jesus’ death, the veil was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45). This symbolized an end of keeping faith from the average person. All could approach the Father’s throne.
Using Veils Today
Veils are used in both manners yet today in women. The wedding veil is added last to a bride’s attire, shielding her face from the groom until he or her father removes it. Lengths and styles vary according to the bride’s tastes. There is no wrong or right way to wear a veil, nor do all brides opt to wear one. But they are a beautiful accessory to a bridal gown, adding to the woman’s allure. The spiritual veil remains a sign of submission and faith in the Muslim world, and are used on a daily basis.
