(Angelica vestis) is the dress of certain Greek monks of St. Basil. These monks are divided into two classes. Those who have made profession are called monks of the great and angelic habit, and novices are called monks of the lesser habit.
The monkish dress was also so called, which the laity in England were formerly in the habit of putting on shortly before their death, in order to take part in the prayers of the monks. The person thus dressed in the monastic habit in the hour of death is called in old books monachus ad succurrendum. The custom is said to exist still in Spain and Italy.