Why should a married woman cover her head? Is it permissible to leave part of her hair uncovered? Should she also sleep with her head covered? #

This question invites reflection. Indeed, it would seem unusual for those raised in a Christian environment from childhood. In pre-schism Rus’, such a question would have been unthinkable.

In ancient times, clothing served to cover the body. However, today’s morally corrupted world promotes the opposite: not so much to cover the body but to expose it, making it easier to entice potential “partners.” This trend originated in the West and was entirely absent in ancient Rus’.

Modern women entering the Church as adults often struggle with the Church’s prohibition against altering their appearance (using cosmetics, cutting their hair) and against displaying their uncovered hair. Questions like this arise frequently, just as they did 150 years ago. The Old Believer theologian and polemicist Ilarion Kabanov (Xenos) addressed such a question in his book The History and Customs of the Vetka Church:

“A maiden, as long as she remains a maiden, may sometimes be uncovered, for she also uncovers her head to partake of Holy Communion and communes with her hair unbound (this was a local custom in Vetka and southern Rus’). But when she marries, during the wedding ceremony, by the blessing of the priest, her head is covered with a headscarf and a headdress (called a glavotyagos, or bonnet), and she is crowned according to the Church rite. From that moment on, for the rest of her life until the day of her death, she has no right ever to uncover a single strand of hair but must always and forever remain covered. Thus commands the divine Apostle Peter, who says: ‘Let not the adornment of women be outward—braiding of hair, wearing of gold, or putting on fine apparel—but the hidden person of the heart’ (1 Peter 3:4). Similarly, the chief Apostle Paul legislates, saying: ‘If a woman does not cover her head, let her be shorn. But if it is a disgrace for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her cover her head’ (1 Corinthians 11:6). And St. John Chrysostom, explaining these words, says that not only during prayer but always must a woman remain covered.”

The foundation of this Church practice is found in the First Epistle to the Corinthians by St. Paul:

“Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is one and the same as if she were shaven… For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man… For this reason, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels… Judge among yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.”
(1 Corinthians 11:5–15)

Since the Apostle commands all Christians to pray “unceasingly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), a woman should always keep her head covered, except during washing and combing her hair, which should be done in privacy, away from the gaze of others.

In ancient Rus’, exposing one’s hair was considered shameful for a woman. The word oprostovolosilas (literally, “made oneself bareheaded”) was synonymous with disgrace.

Wearing a head covering that leaves part of the hair exposed, on display, is unbecoming for Christian women.

— Archpriest Vadim Korovin