solemn vows
Binding ceremonial pledges
Solemn vows are the most binding form of religious commitment in Catholic and some other Christian traditions, taken by members entering a religious order.
Unlike simple vows, which may be temporary or dispensed more easily, solemn vows are permanent and carry full canonical consequences—a person professing them surrenders all rights to personal property and cannot marry.
The phrase sometimes appears in secular contexts to describe any deeply serious promise: They exchanged solemn vows never to speak of it again.
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- holy ordersSacrament conferring clergy status
- oathFormal binding promise
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
covenant · pledge · piety · sanctity · religious vocation · religious life · reverence · betrothal · sincerity · dedication · promise · asceticism · spiritual discipline · contemplative prayer · matrimony · spiritual retreats · hermitage · profession
- monasticismabbeys, abbey, abbots, abbot, cloister
- nunsnun, nuns, sister, sisters, convent
- sacred vowsdiksha
- Cloistered Nunscloistered nuns, enclosure, cloister, convent, contemplative life
- Poor Clarescloister, enclosure, cloistered nun, abbess, prioress
- religious vowschastity, religious obedience, celibacy, profession
solemn vowsidle chatter
Trivial, aimless conversation
small talk · lip service · loose talk · empty promises · empty words
solemn vowsfalse promises
empty promises · broken vows · empty words · lies · broken promises
solemn vowsnon-binding agreements
Unenforceable mutual commitments
informal agreements · handshake deals · gentleman's agreements · verbal contracts
solemn, vows, solemnly, solemnity, solemnize, solemnization, solemnness, vow, vowed