"Standing near the door, we dipped our fingers in the holy water, crossed and blessed ourselves, and proceeded up to the sleeping-room, in the usual order, two by two"

This quote is from Maria Monk's book, The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, which has to do with her experiences in a convent in Montreal. In this quote, Maria is explaining a routine that she and the other nuns in the convent would perform. They would stand near the door of the sleeping-room and dip their fingers in holy water. Then, they would cross themselves and bless themselves prior to proceeding as much as the sleeping-room in sets. This ritual was likely a way for the nuns to show their devotion to God and to prepare themselves for the night ahead. It likewise acts as a tip of the significance of faith and the power of prayer. The routine also works as a tip of the communal nature of the convent, as the nuns would go up to the sleeping-room in pairs, showing that they remained in this together.