These two nuns were the only nuns I saw trekking the 20-plus miles from Santa Fe to the Santuario de Chimayo for the pre-Easter traditional celebration. This annual venture pulls thousands to journey along stations of the cross set upon the hilltops of the high desert.
We have our women in burquas, too, but we're not used to seeing them on the Christians. Nunneries are in decline and there is only one nun left in Santa Fe who belonged to the Sisters of Loretto.
3/30 Update: The Vatican just announced that Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion. Catholics make up 17.4 percent of the world population but Muslims make up 19.2 percent (all Christians, including Catholics, make up 33 percent of the world population).
It's weird but I have a strange fascination for nuns. I am Jewish but I grew up in a very Catholic town and a lot of my friends went to parochial school.
Posted by: Rhea | March 28, 2008 at 06:17 AM
Having grown up Catholic, I have mixed feelings about nuns. I always thought them so lovely in their habits.
Posted by: Kay Dennison | March 28, 2008 at 07:51 PM
When I was a little girl I wanted to be a Nun.
Sometimes I think what an interesting life style.
Posted by: Rhonda | March 28, 2008 at 09:44 PM
At least when a nun wears a habit, it's her choice.
Posted by: Kathy | March 29, 2008 at 08:23 PM
I took the kids out to Cracker Barrel a while back, and we were seated by several nuns in habits. They had never seen such a thing! Gothgrrl: Why are they dressed like that?
Me: They're nuns. It's a habit.
Gothgrrl: How do you know that? You've never seen them here before!
Me: No, those outfits are called habits. You go to parochial school! Haven't you ever seen the nuns in habits?
Kids: No. Never.
Posted by: Miss Cellania | March 29, 2008 at 08:36 PM