Tonsure

ton'shur, a shaven place on the head of a priest. The Roman Catholic tonsure or the tonsure of St. Peter consists of a bare circle on the top of the head. The first removal of the hair is performed by a bishop or cardinal and is one of the solemn rites of consecration to the priesthood. The candidate is pledged to shave the top of his head once a month. The higher the rank of a Catholic the wider may be his tonsure. The tonsure of the Greek Church, or the tonsure of St. Paul, consists in shaving, or at least clipping closely, the entire head. A third tonsure, the Celtic, or tonsure of St. John, consists in the removal of the hair in front of a line drawn over the top of the head from ear to ear.