Here is something one does not see every day: some of the ceremonies associated with the nuns of the Christian East. In this instance we are witnessing the life profession of Mother Theodora as a Stavrophore nun -- within the Christian East, from what I understand, there are the following rankings or "classes" if you will, of monks and nuns: first the novice, then the Rassaphore, the Stavrophore and finally a Schemamonk/Schemanun. (If any of our Eastern Christian readers would care to elaborate on this further, or correct any mistake, please do.)
These ceremonies took place within the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (Ohio) in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The following photographs come from
Denis Kucharksi and are used with permission.
Here is some video as well: