MyCatholicSource.com - 'Quick Help' Page: Why Are Statues Covered In Lent?

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As traditionally explained...

"IMAGES, VEILING OF. Before the first Vespers of Passion Sunday all the crosses, pictures, statues, etc., of a church are covered with unadorned purple veils. Those of the cross are removed on Good Friday and the others at the Gloria in excelsis on Holy Saturday; the stations of the cross need not be covered. This is an obvious sign of mourning and also may have reference to the words 'He hid himself' in the gospel of Passion Sunday; but the former covering of the whole rood-screen with a 'Lenten veil' at the beginning of Lent is probably its true origin." (Catholic Dictionary)

And...

"The rubrical prescriptions of the Roman Missal, Breviary, and 'Caeremoniale Episcoporum' for this time [Passiontide] are: before Vespers of Saturday preceding Passion Sunday the crosses, statues, and pictures of Our Lord and of the saints on the altar and throughout the church, with the sole exception of the crosses and pictures of the Way of the Cross, are to be covered with a violet veil, not translucent, nor in any way ornamented. The crosses remain covered until after the solemn denudation of the principal crucifix on Good Friday. The statues and pictures retain their covering, no matter what feast may occur, until the Gloria in Excelsis of Holy Saturday. According to an answer of the S. R. C. of 14 May, 1878, the practice may be tolerated of keeping the statue of St. Joseph, if outside the sanctuary, uncovered during the month of March, which is dedicated to his honour, even during Passiontide... The crosses are veiled because Christ during this time no longer walked openly among the people, but hid himself. Hence in the papal chapel the veiling formerly took place at the words of the Gospel: 'Jesus autem abscondebat se.' Another reason is added by Durandus, namely that Christ's divinity was hidden when he arrived at the time of His suffering and death. The images of the saints also are covered because it would seem improper for the servants to appear when the Master himself is hidden (Nilles, 'Kal.,' II, 188). In some places the crosses were covered on Ash Wednesday; in others on the first Sunday of Lent. In England it was customary on the first Monday of Lent to cover up all the crucifixes, images of every kind, the reliquaries, and even the cup with the Blessed Sacrament. The cloths used were of white linen or silk and marked with a red cross (Rock, infra, IV, 258)." (Catholic Encyclopedia)

Note that the duration & date, and other aspects of veiling, may vary.

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