abbess
Article
Feminine of the word abbot. Spiritual and temporal superior of a community of twelve or more nuns, signifying that the superior is like a mother to the community. The title is in use among Benedictines, Poor Clares, and certain colleges of canonesses. An abbess as a rule has a right to wear a ring, and bears the crosier as a symbol of her rank, but has not the jurisdiction belonging to abbots.
In art
- Saint Agnes of Montepulciano
- Saint Bridget of Sweden
- Saint Brigid of Ireland
- Saint Burgundofara
- Saint Catherine of Sweden
- Saint Etheldreda
- Saint Gertrude of Nivelles
- Saint Irmina of Oehren
- Saint Jane of Valois
- Saint Lioba of Bischofsheim
- Saint Lutgardis
- Saint Mechtildis of Edelstetten
- Saint Odilia of Alsace
- Saint Walburga
- Saint Winifred of Wales
Abbesses Profiled on this Site
- Blessed Abbatissa
- Blessed Adelindis of Buchau
- Blessed Agnes of Büren
- Blessed Alexandrina di Letto
- Blessed Anna Petronilla of Silesia
- Blessed Beatrice Bicchieri
- Blessed Berta of Busano
- Blessed Bertha de Marbais
- Blessed Bertha de’Alberti of Cavriglia
- Blessed Bertheid of Münster
- Blessed Catherine of Santa Chiara
- Blessed Christina Ciccarelli
- Blessed Colomba Osorio
- Blessed Ela of Lacock
- Blessed Elisabeth de Vans
- Blessed Elisabeth of Baldrone
- Blessed Elizabeth Rose
- Blessed Elizabeth Salviati
- Blessed Euphemia of Altenmünster
- Blessed Euphrasia of San Michele
- Blessed Felicia Meda
- Blessed Filippa Guidoni
- Blessed Filippa Mareri
- Blessed Florida Cevoli
- Blessed Gertrud of Traunkirchen
- Blessed Gertrude of Altenberg
- Blessed Gertrude of Trzebnica
- Blessed Gertrude Prosperi
- Blessed Giovanna Lambertini
- Blessed Giovanna Maria Bonomo
- Blessed Giuliana of Collalto
- Blessed Hedwig of Hreford
- Blessed Helen of Poland
- Blessed Hilsindis
- Blessed Humbeline of Jully
- Blessed Ida of Argensolles
- Blessed Imana of Loss
- Blessed Irmengard
- Blessed Johanna of Cáceres
- Blessed Jutta of Disibodenberg
- Blessed Jutta of Heiligenthal
- Blessed Libania of Busano
- Blessed Lucia of Settefonti
- Blessed Magdalen Albrizzi
- Blessed Margaret of Faenza
- Blessed Margaret of Vau-le-Duc
- Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani
- Blessed Maria Angela Astorch
- Blessed Maria Crucified Satellico
- Blessed María de la Salud Baldoví Trull
MLA Citation
- “abbess”. New Catholic Dictionary. CatholicSaints.Info. 16 November 2018. Web. 28 April 2024. <>