Kapp (headcovering)

A mother wearing a kapp

A kapp (/kɒp/, Pennsylvania German from German Kappe meaning cap, cover, hood) is a Christian headcovering worn by many women of certain Anabaptist Christian denominations (especially among Amish, Mennonites, Schwarzenau Brethren and River Brethren of the Old Order Anabaptist and Conservative Anabaptist traditions), as well as certain Conservative Friends and Plain Catholics, in obedience to Paul the Apostle's command in 1 Corinthians 11:2–10.[1][2][3]

Primitive forms of the kapp are seen in the depictions of early Christian women as portrayed in the "etchings in the Catacomb of Domitila in Rome—dating as far back as A.D. 95".[4] The 12th century Waldensians wore the kapp in France and Italy, as did the early Anabaptists of the 16th century—a practice continued down to the present-day by Old Order Anabaptists and Conservative Anabaptists.[4]

Manuals of early Christianity, including the Didascalia Apostolorum and Pædagogus instructed that a headcovering must be worn by Christian women both during prayer and worship, as well as in public.[5][6] Reflecting the practice of the primitive Church, the kapp is worn by certain Anabaptist Christian (especially among Mennonites, Amish, Schwarzenau Brethren and River Brethren) and Conservative Quaker women throughout the day based on Saint Paul's dictum that Christians are to "pray without ceasing", Saint Paul's teaching that women being unveiled is dishonourable, and as a reflection of the created order.[7][8][9][10]

Kapps are designed "to be of ample size to cover most of the hair."[11] Women from certain Anabaptist communities, such as the Beachy Amish Mennonites, may wear for their headcovering either a kapp or an opaque hanging veil.[11] The front part of the kapp is known as the fedderdale, while the back part is known as the hinnerdale.[4] The kapp is worn pinned to a woman's hair.[1] During the wintertime, a bonnet is worn over the kapp to keep one warm, with certain Anabaptist Christian communities requiring the bonnet to be worn over the kapp when women leave the home.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Schrock, Anna (19 February 2022). "Why Do Amish Women Wear Head Coverings?". Amish Heritage. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Q: So what about the funny clothes? Do you dress like the Amish?". Stillwater Monthly Meeting of Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends. Retrieved 10 April 2022. Women usually wear long-sleeved, long dresses, and a head-covering such as a scarf, bonnet, or cap.
  3. ^ "Our Clothing". Plain Catholics. Retrieved 5 February 2023. Plain Catholic women wear a headcovering/prayer covering at all times, at Mass and in daily life, in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Our reasoning is that if women have been prescribed to cover their heads during prayer (1 Cor 11 uses "katakalupto" meaning "to veil or to cover" according to Strong's Greek Concordance); and if we are to be praying continually (1 Thess 5), it follows that a continual full time covering is the most logical outcome and expression of these Scriptures. The headcovering/prayer covering may be a mantilla, prayer kapp or another style of headcovering.
  4. ^ a b c Anderson, Cory A. (2013). The Ornament of a Spirit: Exploring the Reasons Covering Styles Change. Stoneboro: Ridgeway Publishing. p. 85-88.
  5. ^ Gibson, Margaret Dunlop (1903). The Didascalia Apostolorum in English. C.J. Clay. pp. 9–10. Thou therefore who art a Christian [woman] … if thou wishest to be faithful, please thy husband only, and when thou walkest in the market-place, cover thy head with thy garment, that by thy veil the greatness of thy beauty may be covered; do not adorn the face of thine eyes, but look down and walk veiled; be watchful, not to wash in the baths with men.
  6. ^ Adams, Edward (24 October 2013). The Earliest Christian Meeting Places: Almost Exclusively Houses?. A&C Black. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-567-15732-4. Woman and man are to go to church decently attired … Let the woman observe this, further. Let her be entirely covered, unless she happen to be at home. For that style of dress is grave, and protects from being gazed at. And she will never fall, who puts before her eyes modesty, and her shawl; nor will she invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is the wish of the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray veiled.
  7. ^ Almila, Anna-Mari; Almila, David (6 July 2017). The Routledge International Handbook to Veils and Veiling. Taylor & Francis. p. 296. ISBN 978-1-317-04114-6. Amish women who wear it at all times except when sleeping. This is based on the notion that women should 'pray without ceasing'.
  8. ^ Winger, Otho (1919). History and Doctrines of the Church of the Brethren. Brethren Publishing House. p. 218.
  9. ^ Willis, Daniel (1 May 2022). "14 Objections to the Head Covering Answered". Sound Faith. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  10. ^ Ruth, Merle (2022). The Significance of the Christian Woman's Veiling. Christian Light Publications. p. 17. … worn to show that the wearer is in God's order. A sister should wear the veiling primarily because she is a woman, not because she periodically prays of teaches. It is true that verses 4 and 5 speak of the practice in relation to times of praying and prophesying. But very likely it was for such occasions that the Corinthians had begun to feel they might omit the practice in the name of Christian liberty. The correction would naturally be applied first to the point of violation. Greek scholars have pointed out that the clause "Let her be covered" is the present, active, imperative form, which gives the meaning, "Let her continue to be veiled."
  11. ^ a b Statement of Faith and Practice. Bakersville: Salem Amish Mennonite Church. 2012. p. 4.