Final answer:
The second-highest ranking nun in a monastery where the abbot is the highest ranking official is titled Prioress. Option (C) Prioress is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The title of the second-highest ranking nun in a monastery, assuming the abbot is the highest ranking official, is the Prioress. An abbey is a religious community of monks or nuns, and the abbess is typically the woman who heads an abbey.
The abbot or abbess is the highest authority in an abbey; thus, the Prioress acts as a deputy and is next in line in terms of rank. The Benedictine Rule, established by Benedict of Nursia, created a structured hierarchy within these religious communities.
Influential female leaders like Radegund became renowned abbesses, showcasing monasticism as a pathway for women to gain social influence and fulfilment, independent of marital or familial ties.