And Then There Were Nuns Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sister

Scholastica and Benedict were siblings. She was born in c. 480, and it is said that she always lived a very religious life. Scholastica is the patron saint of nuns, education, and convulsive children. Her Memorial Day is February 10th.

Answer: False

Nuns are found around the world in a variety of religions. These include Christianity, as well as Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Taoism.

Answer: A period of testing the life of a nun.

The process of becoming a Roman Catholic nun is somewhat involved, with different stages that nuns must go through to show their commitment. Since nuns are expected to commit to the lifestyle for their entire lives, convents typically give women a period of six months to two years to test the lifestyle and ensure that they are being called to the vocation.

Answer: Self-sufficiency

Roman Catholic nuns of the Benedictine tradition take vows of stability, or a promise to remain members of a certain community of nuns. Nuns of the Dominican tradition take vows of poverty. Nuns from both traditions take vows of obedience. Although many Roman Catholic nuns do aim for self-sufficiency, they do not vow to act that way in their ceremonies.

Answer: Nuns took solemn vows and were cloistered, while sisters were not cloistered.

The terms are sometimes used interchangeably by members of the public, but the church considered "nuns" those women who have taken solemn vows to God who were cloistered (living together but separate from all others). Nuns engaged in contemplation and prayer each day.

The term "sister" was reserved by the church to refer to women who have taken simple vows, and who were not cloistered. Sisters engaged in apostolic work, assisting others outside the convent. It is all somewhat confusing to members of the general public because both nuns and sisters are called "Sister" when speaking to or about them (e.g., "Sister Mary", etc.).

Answer: From a few nuns at a few convents in 1840, to over 100,000 nuns in the early 1900s, to a dramatic decrease by the early 2000s.

The number of nuns in the United States grew from about 900 in 15 communities in 1840, to 50,000 in 170 orders in 1900, and 135,000 in 300 different orders by 1930. Their numbers peaked in 1965 at 180,000 then plunged to 56,000 in 2010, with older nuns dying and younger women not being as attracted to the vocation in the early 21st century.

The number of nuns has always surpassed the number of priests and brothers since 1840.

Answer: No

Women do not have to be virgins before becoming a nun, but must abstain from sexual relations after becoming a nun. Women can also become nuns if they have been married and have children as long as the marriage is annulled and the children are old enough to be independent.

Answer: Grace Kelly

Jessica Lange was a nun in "American Horror Story". Sophia Loren was a nun in "White Sister". Mary Tyler Moore was a nun in "Change of Habit". Other famous actresses to play nuns include Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Raquel Welch, Lyndsay Lohan, Jodie Foster, Julie Andrews, Shirley MacLaine, Whoopi Goldberg, Ingrid Bergman, and Leslie Nielsen (well, not an actress, but he did a great job as a nun in "Spy Hard").

Answer: France

Roman Catholic churches lost their property and possessions when Henry VIII separated the Church of England from papal rule, so nuns were forced out of their convents. Many simply returned to a secular life, but if they chose to remain nuns, they were forced to flee the country. If they did flee, many went to France, a nearby Catholic country.

Answer: Europe

There are many different orders of Lutheran nuns, with most of them in Europe. Many are dedicated to service, including the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, which runs a guesthouse for Holocaust survivors.