Religious habit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A religious habit refers to the distinctive garment(s) worn by members of religious orders, e.g., for Catholic orders, it is normally comprised of a tunic, often covered by a scapular and cowl. For men the hood is part of the habit, for women the veil. Modern variations may not include all of the forementioned; and the remaining parts may be considerably simplified to make them better suited for modern living. After the postulancy with a particular religious community, the newcomer, having declared the intention of wishing to undergo a formal novitiate and been accepted by the community, strips off the secular clothes worn hitherto and gets dressed by the superior in the habit of the community – a special ceremony called "the clothing" or "investiture".
