Many churches veil or remove images at this time of year. Why? Some people encountered this practice in the past, and wonder why it went away/returned. For others, it is new, and they wonder what it signifies. I will touch on both points here, and I hope that this helps to grant a better appreciation of the practice!

History

The veiling of images began at some point during the Middle Ages (at least by the 9th century). In modern times, it was required until the revision of the liturgy that followed the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Previously, the final two weeks of Lent were officially called “Passiontide.” This term was dropped in the revised liturgy, along with the requirement to veil images. The instructions left veiling as a possibility, but deferred the matter to the local bishops. For many years it was uncertain whether this was permitted in the United States, and so the practice become much less common.

Official reference to the veiling of images returned in the 1988 guidance from the Vatican on the preparation/celebration of Easter, which encouraged the practice. All ambiguity was removed (at least in the books!) when the US bishops approved the new Missal in 2002. This Missal specifically instructs that the veiling of images is permitted to begin the weekend before Palm Sunday (i.e., corresponding to the same two week stretch as the old period of Passiontide). 

Significance

Now that it is clear that the veiling of images is permitted, I think the key question is whether it corresponds to something that is true about the liturgy, or whether it is a distraction. For my own part, I have always thought that the veils intuitively made sense. However, I have encountered enough questions from others to know that this is not true for everyone! Here are some of the reasons that I find this practice helpful-

On a technical point, making a change at this point in Lent corresponds to a real change in the liturgy. We shift to a new Preface before the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass starting this weekend. There is more emphasis on the saving Passion and Death that is to come. It is fitting that a change in appearance matches this change in the prayers.

Similarly, at the beginning of Lent we are instructed to remove flowers and other superficial decorations, and then after Mass on Holy Thursday we are instructed to remove even the altar cloths. There is an internal motion of removing more and more of the elements of beauty and ornamentation in the church as we go along. Including the step of veiling the images leans into this progressive simplification. It matches the way that Christ’s glory is hidden in His suffering and death. The Prophet Isaiah says in one of the predictions of the Messiah as the ‘Suffering Servant,’ “He had no majestic bearing to catch our eye, no beauty to draw us to him” (Isaiah 53:2b). The veiled appearance of the church highlights the hidden nature of the Messiah.

Emotionally, the veiled images give me a sense of mourning, of a house being packed up in preparation for a period of vacancy, and of separation. Christ experiences these things as His apostles betray and abandon Him. The faithful disciples experienced this sense of separation at Christ’s death and burial. Separation is a true felt experience, even though we know that the Father never truly left the Son, and that Jesus never abandons us (much like the fact that the image is still present when veiled, even if covered).

The veiling of images reminds us that mourning and grief are not contrary to the Christian faith. St. Paul writes, “We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope” (1 Thess 4:13). He doesn’t say that they shouldn’t grieve, but that they shouldn’t grieve like those without hope – this speaks to the manner of grief, not its absence. St. Paul invites the Romans to “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Jesus Himself wept at the death of His friend Lazarus, and taught, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Mourning is a healthy response to the pain of grief, an acknowledgement that something has changed and that the world is not yet as it should be. We do suffer loss, and it is not contrary to our hope in eternal life to acknowledge that. I think the opposition to the veiling of images as invoking too much melancholy misses the healing aspect of this practice. The liturgical year trains the heart to find God at all times, when His presence is palpable or not. For two weeks we sit with the mystery of loss… but it does not last forever. Easter is coming soon!

Conclusion

Returning to the question at hand, to evaluate the veiling of images, we have to think about whether it enhances or distracts from the spirit of the liturgy at this point of the year. I think that it reflects something that is true both of the final weeks of Lent and of the spiritual life in general. I find the liturgy richer for the addition of this symbol, and that the veils help us to connect emotionally with what is happening. Jesus doesn’t defeat something small and trivial, but rather the greatest of pains. We sing the Alleluia all the more joyfully the better we understand what the Resurrection has overcome!