A few famous nuns

In light of the Vatican’s action on Wednesday, here is a list of nuns who have become known in the broader world. Two of the Americans listed have been canonized.

5 Seconds

00:00

Mother Teresa

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India, in 1950. For more than 45 years, she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion worldwide. After her death, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title "Blessed Teresa of Kolkata.''

Dominique Faget / AFP/Getty Images

Jeanine Deckers

Jeanine Deckers, the guitarist and singer known as ''The Singing Nun,'' was a Belgian member of the Dominican order. She scored a 1963 hit with "Dominique,'' appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and was played by Debbie Reynolds in the movie version of her story. She left her convent in 1967, became critical of Catholic dogma, opened a school for autistic children and became a public advocate of contraception. She died at age 51 in 1985.

Keystone / Getty Images

Juana Inés de la Cruz

Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695) was a writer, nun and scholar. Mexico acknowledges her as one of Latin America's most outstanding writers of the colonial period. Pictured is an altar dedicated to the sister, set up in November 2006 in Mexico City as part of the traditional Day of the Dead celebrations. An image of Sister Juana, center, sitting in her library crowns the offering amid strips of marigold flowers.

Omar Torres / AFP/Getty Images

Delores Hart

Delores Hart, center, who kissed Elvis Presley in the 1957 film "Loving You'' and co-starred in "Where the Boys Are'' and "Come Fly With Me,'' gave up Hollywood and broke off a wedding engagement to join the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in western Connecticut. She is now the Mother Prioress (second in command) of the convent.

Matt Sayles / AP

Sister Wendy Beckett

Wendy Beckett became known in her 60s for her expertise in art, primarily for a series of shows she hosted for the BBC and two books. She was born in South Africa, raised in Scotland and graduated with distinction from Oxford University. She became a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1946.

Victoria Arocho / AP

Andrea Jaeger

Andrea Yaeger, the No. 2 women's tennis player in the world as a teenager, became an Anglican Dominican nun in 2006. She has dedicated her life to helping children in need, visiting hospitals and running camps for children with cancer, People magazine reported in 2006.

/ AP

Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke

The two sisters, from the Maryknoll order, were slain by right-wing forces in El Salvador in December 1980. The investigation into their killings and burial in a common grave focused attention on abuses of the U.S.-supported government in the civil war. The sisters had been working with displaced Salvadorans in the rural northwestern part of the Central American country.

/ AP

Mother Katharine Drexel

An undated photograph of Mother Katharine Drexel. She was born in Philadelphia in 1858, became a nun in 1891, and died in 1955. In November 1988, Mother Drexel was beatified by Pope John Paul II, who hailed the American heiress-turned-nun for devoting her life and fortune to fighting "the devastating effects of racism" on blacks and American Indians. On Oct. 1, 2000, she was canonized in Rome by Pope John Paul II.

/ AP

Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton

An undated photo of a portrait of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. The portrait is a reproduction of an original tintype owned by family friends of the Setons in Italy. Seton, who founded the first Roman Catholic school in America in Emmittsburg, Md.was made a saint by the Vatican.

/ AP

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple...

New York Yankees' Travis Hafner bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 12, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Many seminary graduates are choosing not to become pastors. Rebecca J. Cole received her Master of Divinity and is becoming a community organizer on Capitol Hill. She hugs another graduate after the ceremony. The 2013 Commencement ceremony for Wesley Theological Seminary was held on May 13 at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Eager to minister, but not from the pulpit

An increasing number of divinity students who don’t plan to become pastors envision using their degrees to “minister” in a...

epa03704474 A Muslim woman at the ThetKalPyin temporary relief camp near Sittwe in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 17 May 2013. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in neighboring Bangladesh as people began to return home from shelters, a day after Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast, officials said 17 May. EPA/NYEIN CHAN NAING

Photos of the day

Cyclone Mahasen, Texas tornadoes, puffin census, melting Swiss glacier and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 16: American Idol Season 12 Winner Candice Glover (C) is seen onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2013' Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Candice Glover wins 12th season of ‘American Idol’

The 23-year-old vocal powerhouse from St. Helena Island, S.C., tops competition in her third try.

US actress Claire Julien smiles on May 16, 2013 while posing during a photocall for the film 'The Bling Ring' at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Claire Julien, David Hasselhoff, Freida Pinto, Candice Glover, Martin Short and more.

**LOC IMAGE** Geo. Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent, Cambria Iron Mills house, Johnstown Flood, May 31st, 1889. (Photo by Ernest Walter Histed / Library of Congress)

The Johnstown Flood of 1889

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam that held Lake Conemaugh failed, and 20 million tons of water descended upon Johnstown, Pa. The flood claimed the lives of 2,209 people and spurred...

HACIPASA, TURKEY - MAY 5: Syrian refugee Hala ponders her life on the run on Sunday, May 5, 2013, in Hacipasa, Turkey. Three times this morning, the sounds of aircrafts were followed by explosions that shook the ground. Hacipasa, which sits just across the river border from Syria, is home of several hundred Syrian refugees who have been displaced by their home country's conflict. For a year, Hala and her family have been displaced from their home village in Syria because of violent conflict. After bouncing from village to village, fleeing bombings that seemed to follow them, the family crossed into Turkey six weeks ago. Initially, the family was deported back into Syria, where they lived in camps for internally displaced Syrians. But when the camps were bombed, the family was allowed to cross into Turkey. Hala said, 'The blood of the people who died in Syria, the martyrs, is our sad song, but nobody is listening.' (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Turkey faces a refugee crisis

More than 400,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey seeking refuge from the conflict at home. Finding its resources stretched, Turkey is urgently appealing for international aid and...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.