Nun

A nun is a woman who dedicates her life to religious service and contemplation.

This life is usually defined by specific religious vows. These vows often include poverty, chastity, and obedience. Many nuns live within the enclosure of a monastery or a convent. An enclosure is a space separated from the outside world. This allows the women to focus on prayer and spiritual work. While the term is often used for these women, there is a distinction between a nun and a religious sister. Nuns typically take solemn vows and live in enclosed settings. Sisters often take simple vows and perform active work in society.

In the Catholic tradition, there are many different religious institutes. Each institute has its own charism, which is a special character or spirit. Historically, nuns were divided into different roles within their communities. Choir nuns focused on the recitation of the Divine Office. The Divine Office is a series of prayers said at specific times throughout the day. Lay sisters performed the upkeep of the monastery or ran errands. Some women, called externs, lived in the monastery but outside the enclosure. They were often members of a Third Order or oblates.

Joining a religious order involves several distinct stages. First, a woman enters a period called postulancy. This testing period lasts between six months and two years. If she stays, she begins the novitiate. This stage lasts one to two years. During the novitiate, she lives the life of the institute without yet taking vows. She may receive a habit, which is the traditional clothing of the order. After this, she may take initial, temporary vows. These temporary vows usually last between one and six years. Finally, she may petition for perpetual profession. This is the step where she takes permanent, solemn vows.

Different traditions follow different patterns of vows. In the Benedictine tradition, nuns take vows of stability, obedience, and conversion of life. Stability means remaining a member of a single monastic community. Conversion of life includes the practices of poverty and celibacy. Other orders, such as the Dominican nuns or the Poor Clares, follow the threefold vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. These are known as the evangelical counsels. Some orders also include an additional vow. This extra vow might relate to a specific style of devotion or a particular purpose.

Leadership within these communities is structured by the type of house. A woman who heads an abbey is called an abbess. If she heads a monastery, she is called a prioress. A more general title used is Mother Superior. There is also the role of a canoness. A canoness follows the Rule of St. Augustine. Historically, there were two types of canonesses. Canonesses regular took traditional religious vows. Secular canonesses did not take vows and could own property or marry. This role was often held by women from aristocratic families.

Many cloistered nuns observe the rules of papal enclosure. This means their buildings often have walls to separate them from the world. They rarely leave the enclosure, except for medical needs. They may receive visitors in special parlors. These rooms often have a grille or a half-wall for privacy. To remain self-sufficient, many communities earn money through specific tasks. They might sell jams, candies, or baked goods by mail order. They also make liturgical items. These include candles, hosts, or vestments used in religious services.

Religious life is found in many different faiths across the world. In Christianity, these women belong to Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions. In Buddhism, female monastics are known as Bhikkhuni. These women are most common in the Mahayana tradition. They take several additional vows compared to male monastics, known as bhikkhus.

Across all these faiths, the life of a nun represents a deep commitment to a specific way of living and believing. Whether through active social service or quiet prayer, these women dedicate themselves to their religious callings.