Nun

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

A woman, in several Christian countries, who devotes herself, in a cloister or nunnery, to a religious life.

See article MONK. There were women in the ancient Christian church, who made public profession of virginity before the monastic life was known in the world, as appears from the writings of Cyprian and Tertullian. These, for distinction's sake, are sometimes called ecclesiastical virgins, and were commonly enrolled in the canon or matricula of the church. They differed from the monastic virgins chiefly in this, that they lived privately in their father's houses, whereas the others lived in communities: but their profession of virginity was not so strict as to make it criminal for them to marry afterwards, if they thought fit. As to the consecration of virgins, it had some things peculiar in it: it was usually performed publicly in the church by the bishop. The virgin made a public profession of her resolution, and then the bishop put upon her the accustomed habit of sacred virgins. One part of this habit was a veil, called the sacrum valamen; another was a kind of mitre or coronet worn upon the head. At present, when a woman is to be made a nun, the habit, veil, and ring of the candidate are carried to the altar; and she herself, accompanied by her nearest relations, is conducted to the bishop, who, after mass and an anthem (the subject of which is "that she ought to have her lamp lighted, because the bridegroom is coming to meet her") pronounces the benediction: then she rises up, and the bishop consecrates the new habit, sprinkling it with holy water.

When the candidate has put on her religious habit, she presents herself before the bishop, and sings on her knees Ancilla Christi sum, &c. then she receives the veil, and afterwards the ring, by which she is married to Christ; and, lastly, the crown of virginity. When she is crowned, an anathema is denounced against all who shall attempt to make her break her vows. In some few instances, perhaps, it may have happened that nunneries, monasteries, &c. may have been useful as well to morality and religion as to literature; in the gross, however, they have been highly prejudicial; and however well they might be supposed to do when viewed in theory, in fact they are unnatural and impious. It was surely far from the intention of Providence to seclude youth and beauty in a cloister, or to deny them the innocent enjoyment of their years and sex.

See MONASTERY.

1. Notes

2. OATH

3. OBEDIENCE

4. OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST

5. OBLATI

6. OBLIGATION

7. OBSERVATIONS

8. OECONOMY

9. OECONOMISTS

10. OFFERING

11. OFFICERS CHURCH

12. OFFICES OF CHRIST

13. OMEN

14. OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

15. OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

16. OMNISCIENCE OF GOD

17. OPHITES

18. OPINION

19. ORACLE

20. ORAL

21. ORATORY

22. ORDER

23. ORDERS

24. ORDERS, RELIGIOUS

25. ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL

26. ORDINATION

27. ORIGENISTS

28. ORIGINAL SIN

29. ORIGIN OF EVIL

30. ORTHODOXY

31. OSIANDRIANS

32. OSSENIANS

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) The smew.

(2): (n.) The European blue titmouse.

(3): (n.) A white variety of domestic pigeons having a veil of feathers covering the head.

(4): (n.) A woman devoted to a religious life, who lives in a convent, under the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

NUN. The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and as such employed in the 119th Psalm to designate the 14th part, each verse of which begins with this letter.

NUN. The father of Joshua ( Exodus 33:11 , Numbers 11:28 , Joshua 1:1 etc.).

Holman Bible Dictionary

Exodus 33:11Numbers 11:2813:813:162Psalm 119:105-112

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Nun. (fish, or posterity). The father of the Jewish captain, Joshua. Exodus 33:11; etc. His genealogical descent from Ephraim is recorded in 1 Chronicles 7:1. (B.C. before 1530).

King James Dictionary

NUN, n. A woman devoted to a religious life, and who lives in a cloister or nunnery, secluded from the world, under a vow of perpetual chastity.

NUN, n.

1. A web-footed fowl of the size of a duck, with a white head and neck. 2. The blue titmouse.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

An Ephraimite, father of Joshua, and referred to in scripture only to distinguish his son, who succeeded Moses. Exodus 33:11; Numbers 11:28 , etc.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

Son of Elishama, and father of Joshua. (Joshua 1:1)

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Sprung from Ephraim; father of Joshua (1 Chronicles 7:20-27).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Exodus 33:11

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Nun'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/n/nun.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Nun (a fish), the father of Joshua, who is hence constantly called Joshua ben Nun, 'Joshua the son of Nun.' Nothing is known of the person who bore this name.