A young nun is using her convent Instagram account to debunk the often hilarious myths about religious life.
Sister Elizabete, 26, took over posts on the Filhas da Misericordia (Daughters of Mercy) profile in Fortaleza, the capital of the north-eastern state of Ceara, Brazil.
The nun has seen the number of followers soar to more than 163,000 since she began posting on the social media account to reply to some questions asked by insiders.
When one user wanted to know if nuns could have boyfriends, one of Elizabete's fellow nuns laughed in a post, saying: "You can, but the boyfriend has to be Jesus."
Another follower asked the convent whether it was true that they were not allowed to go to the movies.
Elizabete responded with footage showing her nuns wearing 3D glasses ready for a screening.
And when she was asked if the nuns get angry over a hit Brazilian TV series about a convent school called Carinha de Anjo (Angel Face), she said: "We, the Daughters of Mercy, do not wear makeup and that goes for most of the convents we know."
Elizabete told local media: "Funny videos are our life, moments in which we can record spontaneously.
"I didn't have much time to make elaborate posts, so I started shooting short videos. It worked and was well received."
Elizabete added: "People who are more layman on the subject even ask whether we can get married."
The nun - who became a novice aged just 17 - says she tries to create a balance of serious content and her high-spirited clips.
One of her most recent postings shows a young priest running alongside two young children engaged in a tricycle race.
Elizabete says prayers are the most essential and comprehensive element of the nuns' daily life.
However, routine housework tasks and studying must not be neglected either, she said.
She explained: "Religious life has its schedules, which are generally divided between prayer, study, housework and apostolate.
"Each day, we have three to four prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours as well as an hour of personal prayer, the rosary of mercy and the Marian rosary."
She added: "We do all of the housework. We sweep the floors, wash our clothes and cook."
Elizabete said people are called to their life as a nun as she explained: "God is the one who calls each person. There are those who think it's beautiful but don't feel the call.
"However, it certainly awakens in the hearts of many girls the desire to dedicate themselves to religious life."
Elizabete explained that her convent depends on donations.
She hopes that her social media activities will one day generate income so the convent can move to a larger home.
