Comments on: A Guide to Women’s Headcoverings in the Orthodox Church

By: Joy Russ

Joy Russ — Wed, 14 May 2025 22:03:39 +0000

Covering my head out of simple faith and obedience to God Word has been a wonderful blessing in my life. Through this obedience, I have learned a little bit about “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”.
Head covering is a very very simple act of obedience to submit to the Creator, and to show honor to my husband. It also honors our sons and daughters, and show them an example of cheerful obedience and submission.
All for the glory of God! This article is a blessing to us. Most of the Western Christians have abandoned this practice, and I pray that Eastern Christians will continue to hold fast to this tradition and obedience.

By: KH

KH — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 21:58:26 +0000

I am an Orthodox Christian woman and I do veil in church and at home during a lot of my formal prayers. But I don’t do it because being unveiled is a “distraction to men” as if men have no control over themselves and no accountability to God for their own impure thoughts. Yes you mentioned women but historically its always about the “weakness of men” and the women who are scandalized because they also believe men are so weak.

I cover “because of the angels” and because our hair is our God given glory and I dont want to take away from the glory of God when I’m praying, regardless of whether there are people around. When I pray at home alone, I still veil, again, because of the angels and because veiling is a reflection of the *dignity* God gave to women.

What I do find interesting is that on the one hand you are telling women to dress modestly because otherwise they are a distraction, and they should veil because its Holy Tradition. You then go on to describe what an Orthodox man wants in a woman and what attracts not just his attention, but his *approval*, which is that she is modestly dressed and is veiled. And at the same time you are telling women they shouldn’t want a man that judges her by her appearance!

That’s the problem with making “distraction” and “appearance” the reasons for veiling.

Women in church shouldn’t be trying to attract *anyone*. That’s not what we are there for. Im married, I have no need to attract someone!! Dress8ng modestly amd veiling just to “appear more pious” (to attract a pious man) is just as much a problem as dressing immodestly to attract a man.

By: Fernando Danko

Fernando Danko — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 03:14:07 +0000

In reply to Kristen M. Dugas. Clement of Alexandria (195 bC) teach to womens to wear veils outside their houses, and pray with the veil. Tertulian (197 bC) says a lot about this topic. These people speak, read and write greek. It seems strange that they are misunderstanding Paul letter.

By: Mrs Nicola Galea

Mrs Nicola Galea — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 22:04:19 +0000

God bless you Fr Gleason for this article. Why do people want to nitpick scriptural verses in criticism as do protestants? We gain wisdom from Scripture, but we should not discount 2000yr of Holy Tradition. When I cover my head I’m also reminded of God’s Order in the cosmos – I have a Christian marriage with Christian vows (made in a church) reflecting a Christian relationship between husband and wife, and not a secular union promised in a rose garden. Another interesting Ikon is Christ with the Samaritan woman at the well – she’s shown with bare head and/or bare arms indicating her irregular life. Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner.

By: Celine

Celine — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:34:45 +0000

In reply to Jens. Islam does tell women to cover their entire bodies including hair while praying, and it does say that men are permitted to control women's lives. I've been in both religions and find Christianity a lot more liberating. Wearing a head covering doesn't say that women are less than men, just that they should accept they are not the leaders in churches as only men are permitted to lead in church.

By: Celine

Celine — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:31:46 +0000

In reply to P McCoy.

Youre essentially arguing here that we should submit to changeable culture, not to gods guidance which is unchanging. I suggest trying a head covering before calling it oppressive – as a woman I tried it with an open mind a few months ago and not only felt more beautiful, but closer to god. I don’t judge women who don’t like to do it, but I think every woman should give it a chance before ruling it out.

By: Dede

Dede — Wed, 11 May 2022 20:03:44 +0000

Thank you for the insightful article. I appreciated it and found it to be uplifting, thought-provoking, and convicting. It seems a few other women felt the conviction as well but instead of pondering on that and praying about it, they lashed out in the comments. Let us all keep those sisters in our prayers!

By: Jens

Jens — Sat, 05 Feb 2022 17:22:46 +0000

Christian head covering is different from Islamic covering. Christian head covering points to the subjection of all women to all men and to her ontological inferiority. In Islam, it is a matter of modesty. Some Muslim commentators actually point out that since women are considered such inferior creatures in Christianity (literally unfit to stand uncovered in the presence of God unlike men) they are better off in Islam.

By: Stehphanie

Stehphanie — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 12:50:43 +0000

In reply to P McCoy. Veils were in the bible before they were in the quran, christian women have been veiled for centuries, and don't compare us to muslims, WE ARE NOT THE SAME. the bible says that women need to cover their hair while praying, as a christian you should follow.

By: P McCoy

P McCoy — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 19:49:49 +0000

The Moslems make the same arguments; why don’t Orthodox women wear Burqas too? Or just simply stay at home and pray the way Moslem women are encouraged to do? Men getting excited over seeing female hair? Why isn’t he called about his problem? But I understand it- the goal is to get people to submit to Iron Age culture and beliefs and to ignore that we at present live in the 21st century. Well, you’re free to go your own way it’s just wrong to condemn others who believe in a modern Christianity.