Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre

Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre
AbbreviationCRSS
Formationc. AD 1114; 910 years ago (1114)
TypeCatholic religious order
Websitewww.canonesses.co.uk

The Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre (CRSS), or Sepulchrine Canonesses, are a Catholic female religious order first documented in 1300. They were originally the female branch of the ancient religious order of that name, the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre. The canonesses follow the Rule of St. Augustine.

A canoness regular of the Holy Sepulcher

The traditional habit was black and, when in church, over the tunic the choir sisters would wear a white, sleeveless, linen rochet, on the left side of which was embroidered a red, double-barred cross. Where still used, a black veil is worn by the professed, and a white one by novices and lay sisters; the later category, however, was abolished among religious orders by order of the Holy See in the 20th century.