This dictionary covers 1,450 existing and defunct Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant Orders with additional entries covering the major and lesser-known chivalric Orders and many of the newer Secular Institutes and Lay Movements. Each entry is arranged in two parts. An information section lists the current headquarters, the date of foundation and name of founder, together with details of the original habit. Then there follows a brief history of the Order and an account of the present-day activities of the communities. Sub-families of the major Orders have been included.