Editing Nun (section)

====Leadership====
A [[canoness]] is a nun who corresponds to the male equivalent of [[Canon (priest)|canon]], usually following the Rule of St. Augustine. The origin and rules of monastic life are common to both. As with the canons, differences in the observance of rule gave rise to two types: the [[canoness regular]], taking the traditional religious vows, and the secular canoness, who did not take vows and thus remained free to own property and leave to marry, should they choose. This was primarily a way of leading a pious life for the women of aristocratic families and generally disappeared in the modern age, except for the modern [[Stift#Stift as endowment for unmarried Protestant women|Lutheran convents]] of Germany.

A nun who is elected to head her religious house is termed an [[abbess]] if the house is an abbey, a prioress if it is a monastery, or more generically may be referred to as "Mother Superior" and styled "Reverend Mother". The distinction between abbey and monastery has to do with the terms used by a particular order or by the level of independence of the religious house. Technically, a [[convent]] is any home of a community of sisters – or, indeed, of priests and brothers, though this term is rarely used in the United States. The term "[[monastery]]" is often used by The Benedictine family to speak of the buildings and "convent" when referring to the community. Neither is gender specific. 'Convent' is often used of the houses of certain other institutes.

The traditional dress for women in religious communities consists of a [[tunic]], which is tied around the waist with a cloth or leather belt. Over the tunic some nuns wear a [[scapular]] which is a garment of long wide piece of woolen cloth worn over the shoulders with an opening for the head. Some wear a white [[wimple]] and a veil, the most significant and ancient aspect of the habit. Some orders – such as the Dominicans – wear a large rosary on their belt. Benedictine abbesses wear a cross or crucifix on a chain around their neck.

After the [[Second Vatican Council]], many religious institutes chose in their own regulations to no longer wear the traditional habit and did away with choosing a [[religious name]]. [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|Catholic Church canon law]] states: "Religious are to wear the habit of the institute, made according to the norm of proper law, as a sign of their consecration and as a witness of poverty."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Code of Canon Law – IntraText|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P28.HTM|access-date=2018-02-14|website=www.vatican.va|archive-date=2018-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220201602/http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P28.HTM|url-status=live}}</ref>