What do the veils Abouna holds during Mass represent?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
In the Coptic Orthodox Liturgy, the veils or wrapping cloths used by the priest carry deep symbolic meanings that link the liturgical actions to the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The veils represent the following:
1. The Shrouds of Burial
The veils represent the linen cloths and shrouds that wrapped the Savior’s Body at His burial. The movement of the veils—specifically the "shifting of the veils"—is performed in the same order in which the Lord Jesus unwrapped Himself and took them off His Body during His Glorified Resurrection.
2. The Appearance at Emmaus
When the priest uncovers the chalice and then covers it again, it symbolizes the Lord Jesus showing Himself to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus and then disappearing from their sight after they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.
3. Equality and Honor of the Mystery
When the priest performs the sign of the cross using the veils—first with the veil from the paten while saying "The Lord be with you all," and then with the veil from the chalice while saying "Agios" during the Sanctus—this indicates the equality between the Body and the Blood. It signifies that both are worthy of the same honor and that the faithful must receive the blessings of both.
4. Reverence and Exaltation
According to ancient commentaries, once the priest reaches the institution narrative ("He took bread..."), he does not point to the people with uncovered hands. Instead, he wraps his right hand with a silk veil in honor and exaltation of the Holy Mystery he has touched. This act of wrapping the hand while blessing the people westward shows that the blessing comes through the sanctity of the Mysteries he is serving.
5. Divine Love and the Mystery of the Veil
During the Gospel response, the priest stands before the sanctuary veil and prays the "Mystery of the Veil." This prayer highlights that Christ is the Good Shepherd who descended from the glories of heaven to search for the lost sheep (the children of Adam). The veil here represents the hiddenness of the Divine Mystery which is being revealed to the faithful through the sacrifice on the altar.
In the Coptic tradition, these veils are treated with the utmost respect because they come into direct contact with the Holy Body and Blood of God.