Last week after RCIA, I had an interesting conversation with my priest about some traditional Catholics who were upset that our church didn’t have an altar rail. They believed the altar should be railed off because it is holy ground. This sparked a deeper reflection on the significance of sacred spaces, particularly the veil that once separated the Holy of Holies in the temple from the people.
In the time of the Old Testament, the temple was designed to reflect God's holiness, and the veil was a powerful symbol of that separation. Solomon’s temple, as described in *1 Kings 6:2*, stood at 30 cubits high, but historical records from Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, suggest that Herod later increased the temple's height to 40 cubits. This means the veil was likely around 60 feet high. Although early Jewish tradition claims the veil was four inches thick, the Bible doesn't confirm this detail. *Exodus* tells us that the veil was made from blue, purple, and scarlet material, intricately woven with fine linen, symbolizing the grandeur and holiness of God’s presence.
This veil was not just a piece of cloth; it was a barrier separating the Holy of Holies—the place where God’s presence dwelt on earth—from the rest of the temple, where men lived and worshiped. According to *Hebrews 9:1-9*, the veil represented the separation between God and humanity due to sin. Only the high priest could pass beyond this veil once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for the sins of the people (*Exodus 30:10*; *Hebrews 9:7*). The veil symbolized our sins (Isaiah 59:2), but also pointed forward to Christ, whose flesh would be "torn" for us to grant access to God.
Then, something extraordinary happened during the crucifixion of Jesus. As He died, the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (*Matthew 27:50-51*). This was no small event; it carried immense theological weight.
So, what does the tearing of the veil mean for us today?
First, it symbolized the end of the old religious system. When Jesus died, He became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, rendering the continual animal sacrifices of the temple obsolete. His shed blood was sufficient to atone for all sins once and for all. With the veil torn, the way to the Holy of Holies—the place where God's presence dwelled—was opened to all people, both Jew and Gentile.
No longer would God dwell in temples made by human hands (*Acts 17:24*). With the coming of Christ, the old temple was left desolate and destroyed in A.D. 70, as Jesus had prophesied (*Luke 13:35*). As long as the temple stood, it signified the continuation of the Old Covenant. But the tearing of the veil marked the dawn of the New Covenant, where God now dwells within the hearts of believers through Christ. *Hebrews 9:8-9* tells us that the temple system was only a shadow of what was to come, and now that Christ has come, we have access to God through Him.
In many ways, the veil itself was a symbol of Christ. Just as the high priest had to pass through the veil to enter God’s presence, so now Christ has become our High Priest. Through His death and resurrection, we can confidently approach God. *Hebrews 10:19-20* says, “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body.”
The tearing of the veil also reminds us that the temple and its rituals were always meant to point toward something greater: Jesus Christ. The sacrifices, the rituals, the priesthood—all of these were shadows of the ultimate High Priest and the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus, through His death, removed the barriers between God and humanity.
The veil in the temple was a constant reminder of the separation caused by sin. The daily and yearly sacrifices pointed to the fact that sin could never truly be atoned for by the blood of animals. Only Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, could take away the sins of the world. And by doing so, He removed the need for the veil and opened the way for us to enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence (*Hebrews 4:14-16*).
Today, as Catholics, we see this profound mystery unfold in the Eucharist. Through Christ's body and blood, we encounter the living God—not hidden behind a veil, but present with us in a tangible way. The torn veil teaches us that we are no longer separated from God. We are His people, and He is our God. In Christ, the way to the Father is forever open.
Let us approach with reverence, knowing that the veil has been torn, and we have been granted free access to the throne of grace.
