Ursulines are members of a Roman Catholic order (religious community) of women. The order was named after Saint Ursula, its patron saint. The order, also called the Nuns of Saint Ursula, was established at Brescia, Italy, in 1535 by Saint Angela Merici. The main work of the Ursulines is the teaching of girls and young women. From its beginning, the community observed strict discipline. It became a cloistered order through the aid of Saint Charles Borromeo. Nuns living in a cloistered order are isolated from the outside world. In 1574, the Ursuline nuns entered France. A convent was built near Paris in 1611. The order spread rapidly to most countries of Europe and to America.
