A veil is an indispensable attribute of a bride's outfit. Nowadays, few people think about the meaning of wearing it. The tradition came to us from time immemorial, when wearing a veil at a wedding was mandatory and of great importance.
Why did they cover the bride's face before?
For many centuries, the traditions of the peoples of different countries and different religions have agreed on one thing - on the wedding day, the face of the newlywed should be hidden from strangers and serve as protection from curses, slander, slander, and the evil eye.
In Islam, this tradition has still been preserved in its original form - the bride’s face is completely hidden from strangers and not even the groom sees it before the wedding. In the east, it is believed that the spiritual qualities of a young girl are more important than her appearance. And the groom can look at her only when he becomes her husband.
Now a wedding is a fun, joyful holiday. Previously, in Rus', a wedding consisted of 2 parts: mourning and festive.
The first part resembled a funeral: the girl said goodbye to her girlhood, her family and her stepfather’s house. The whole family mourned her.The newlywed pretended to be inanimate so that evil spirits would bypass her. The ritual of mourning should not be interrupted. Otherwise, family life will be unhappy.
When the bride was brought into the groom's house, her face was covered with an impenetrable scarf to protect her from unkind glances and witchcraft.
Only the groom had the right to remove the veil after the wedding ceremony. This ritual meant that the bride now came under the protection of her husband.
Covered face with a veil: signs
Since the veil was important during the wedding ceremony and influenced subsequent married life, rituals and traditions of handling it gradually developed:
- It was forbidden to wear a veil before the wedding while trying on a dress. The rule was strict. It was believed that its violation would lead to great misfortunes. Even today, out of superstition, people are afraid to try on a dress with a veil.
- Only the bride and her mother had the right to touch or pick up the veil.
- Only the mother has the right to put a veil on the bride. This custom was strict and obligatory and is often observed to this day.
- At a wedding, the mother of the bride carefully ensures that no one, intentionally or accidentally, rips off the bride’s veil. This was a bad sign.
- Only the groom has the right to be the first to remove the veil from his face for the first kiss. This is considered the moment the spouse assumes the rights.
Important! The veil was carefully kept after the wedding and was taken out only after the birth of the first child. Then the cradle was covered with a veil as a talisman against evil spirits.
Why don't they cover the bride's face now?
Nowadays, a veil is not a mandatory attribute of a wedding dress. Young people believe in the equality of the sexes, and their views on preserving chastity before marriage are liberal.
With the decreasing role of religion in society and the growth of general education, people believe less in evil spirits, slander and the evil eye.
But if the wedding takes place in a church, then wearing a veil during the ceremony will be mandatory.
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