Tonsure (/ˈtɒnʃər/) is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word tonsura (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in medieval Catholicism, abandoned by papal order in 1972.
Shaving the head is one of the rules the Buddha laid down for his monks and nuns. It is one of the key indicators of renunciation showing that a person has given up ordinary life and will live outside of social conventions.
Ridding of your hair serves as a symbol of renunciation of worldly ego and fashion. In Buddhism, shaving your head (and face) is part of Pabbajja. Pabbajja is when a person leaves their home and “goes forth” to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among ordained monks. It is a paramount step to becoming a monk.
Nuns of the Roman Catholic, Western Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican traditions often wear a veil as a part of their religious habit. Likewise, Moravian females wear a lace headcovering called a haube, when serving as dieners in the celebration of lovefeasts.
Men entering a religious order choose a tonsure as a way of denouncing the vanity and worldly ways represented by hair. At one time, tonsure was required if you wanted to enter the clergy, though today it rarely is. The tonsure represents a commitment to a more austere and less proud lifestyle.
The practice was in vogue till the Roman Catholic Church abolished the practice of tonsure in 1972. Tonsuring is also a religious ceremony in Hindu religion.
The practice of clerical tonsure was abandoned by the Reformers. It was abolished in the Roman Catholic Church in 1972 by Paul VI. The monastic tonsure is itself becoming rare as monks become more involved in outside activities.
It was once a requirement in the Catholic Church that women cover their heads in Church. The forms of covering ranged from a mantilla to a hat or a simple headscarf. Today most Catholic women do not wear head covering in Church, but many traditionalist Catholic Women do.
Under the veil is a white headdress called a coif, which frames the nun's face. Fully professed nuns also wear a white veil under the black one.
A cornette is a piece of female headwear. It is essentially a type of wimple consisting of a large, starched piece of white cloth that is folded upward in such a way as to create the resemblance of horns (French: cornes) on the wearer's head.
Stipends that nuns receive from dioceses or outside employers are sent to their motherhouses or convents. The money is then parceled out to sisters who work and those who cannot work.
More commonly, shaven heads have been associated with trauma, brutality and the loss of individuality or strength. In biblical legend, Samson was deprived of his incredible power and killed when his hair was cut off while he was asleep. In ancient Greece shaved heads were a mark of the slave.
The Buddha, which stands in a temple at a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nara, has long been thought to have 966 curls, also known as “rahotsu.” Buddha was thought to have obtained his curly hairdo after he chopped off his long, troublesome hair, writes Cristina Richie.
Catholic nuns
Paul, some cloistered nuns never swim at all, while those of other orders may choose to wear fairly modern suits. Although popular culture typically depicts nuns wearing traditional, veiled habits in their day-to-day lives, many no longer do so.
In this image, a blond-haired novice is in the process of getting her hair cut by the abbess of the White Nuns. She wears a white gown like the other nuns, however she does not wear a black veil.
Nuns generally sleep in the same dormitories as other members of the religious community to which they belong. In some religious communities, each nun will have her own room with a bed, a desk, and other necessary furnishings. In others, each nun will share a room and sleep in bunk beds or simple single beds.
Coif: This is the garment's headpiece and includes the white cotton cap secured by a bandeau and a white wimple (to cover the neck and cheeks) and guimpe (to cover the chest, similar to a short cape) of starched linen, cotton, or (today) polyester. It is sometimes covered by a thin layer of black crêpe.
A wimple is long piece of cloth that was worn around the head and around the neck, first by medieval women and later by nuns.
Nuns in the United States are typically practitioners of the Catholic faith, but other faiths, such as Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity accept and support nuns as well. A nun's duties depend on her religion as well as the order she joins.
Dress Code for Women
It is not permitted to wear sleeveless or low-cut clothing. Belly crop tops are a big no! Make sure your shoulders are covered. If you're wearing a skirt, dress, or pair of shorts, make sure they're at least knee-length.
Whereas other clergymen follow fairly constricting guidelines when it comes to their ceremonial garb—cardinals wear red, bishops wear purple, and priests wear black—popes are free to choose different colors and start their own trends.
It is worn while seated and it is traditional to wear it while giving absolution at confession as a sign of juridical power. The main reason one wears the Biretta is so he can take it off. Part of its purpose is to call attention to when it is NOT worn.
Sikhs. The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
tonsure, in various religions, a ceremony of initiation in which hair is clipped from the head as part of the ritual marking one's entrance into a new stage of religious development or activity. Related Topics: initiation rite.
The act of shaving one's head goes back centuries. In ancient Egypt, priests ritualistically removed all the hair from their bodies to avoid lice and general uncleanliness.