Christian head covering, also known as Christian veiling, is the traditional practice of women covering their head in a variety of Christian denominations. Some Christian women, based on historic Catholic, Lutheran, Moravian, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, and Plymouth Brethren teaching, wear the head covering in public worship and during private prayer at home (though some women belonging to these traditions may also choose to wear the head covering outside of prayer and worship), while others, especially traditional Anabaptist Christians, believe women should wear head coverings at all times, based on Saint Paul's dictum that Christians are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), Saint Paul's teaching that women being unveiled is dishonourable, and as a reflection of the created order. In Oriental Orthodox Christian and Eastern Orthodox Christian Churches, certain theologians teach the same doctrine that it is "expected of all women to be covered not only during liturgical periods of prayer, but at all times, for this was their honor and sign of authority given by our Lord", while other clerics have held that headcovering should at least be done during prayer and worship. Genesis 24:65 records the veil as a feminine emblem of modesty. Manuals of early Christianity, including the Didascalia Apostolorum and Pædagogus instructed that a headcovering must be worn by women during prayer and worship, as well as when outside the home.
The practice of Christian head covering for "praying and prophesying" is taught in the traditional interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-10 in the New Testament of the Bible. The majority of Biblical scholars have held that "verses 4-7 refer to a literal veil or covering of cloth" for "praying and prophesying" and verse 15 to refer to the hair of a woman given to her by nature.