The history of female monasticism in Rus' is part of the unified history of Russian Orthodox monasticism, although it has its own peculiarities. Thus, in the first centuries of their existence, women's monasteries did not become centers of book learning and education to the same extent as male monasteries, although some information about this is available in literary sources.

For women, as for men, there are three stages of monastic life: ryasophor, mantia, and schema [6]. The earliest age for tonsure for women was determined by Basil the Great: 16–17 years (Rule 18). The Council of Trullo (Rule 40) sets a single age for tonsure for women and men – no earlier than ten years [7]. During the Synodal era in Russia, state legislation permitted men to be tonsured no earlier than thirty years old, and women – forty years old.