Artwork: Frants Peter Diderik Henningsen. “A Funeral”.

About

The Church has long held that widowhood holds particular graces, and that there is a solemn societal obligation to protect and provide for widows when necessary.

Customs

Mourning veils were once a popular custom for widows. They are still available from some sellers, notably Veils by Lily.

“Mourning Veil.” Veils by Lily, https://www.veilsbylily.com/mourning-veil/.

“Grepe Toque, with Veil.” https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=TCT19030820-01.2.49&srpos=2.

“Why Do Women Wear Veils?”. The Catholic Telegraph, December 4 1890. https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=TCT18901204-01.2.40&srpos=3.

Resources

St. John Chrysostom. Letter to a Young Widow. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1904.htm.

St. Augustine of Hippo. On the Good of Widowhood. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1311.htm.

St. Ambrose. Concerning Widows. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3408.htm.

Pius XII, Pope. The Greatness of Widowhood. Washington: National Catholic Welfare Conference, 1950.

Fanning, William. “Widow.” In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15617c.htm.

de Sales, St. Francis. “Counsels to Widows.” Chap. 40 In Introduction to the Devout Life. https://www.ecatholic2000.com/desales/idl86.shtml.

Davey, Richard. A History of Mourning. London 1800. https://archive.org/details/historyofmournin00dave/.

Cantalamessa, Father Raniero. On Marriage in Heaven. November 10, 2006. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/on-marriage-in-heaven-5038.