The rule of saint benedict or regula benedict was written by saint benedict of nurisa, the patron saint of europe. Abridged, modernized and introduced by stephen tomkins. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in benedicts order, rule or monastic life. Benedict, in full saint benedict of nursia, nursia also spelled norcia, born c. This rule of life is in christ the heart and soul of the most successful religious order in history. And the fourth kind is that of the monks called girovagi, who are all their lives guests for three or four days at a time in the different groups of cells through the various. This work holds the first place among monastic legislative codes, and was by far the most important factor in the organization and spread of monasticism in the west.
Benedict in english published by the liturgical press in 1982. This work is a compilation of instructions for communal monks who live in. Benedicts rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal. The qualities which make up a valued life humility, patience, simplicity, solitude, caring for others, and living in community concern everyone. Understand with willing mind and effectually fulfil thy holy father s admonition. Minnesota, where i live is getting a snow storm as i write this blog entry. Benedict, for having compiled the divine code of conduct, after experiencing it, and setting an example by following it.
I found most interesting the chapters that related to the hours for prayer, food and when to eat, clothing, how to recieve guests, and how hours for work change depending on the season. The explicit purpose of benedict s rule was to teach monks and their superiors how to live the monastic life. Benedict, is the sum total of the revelations of one man. Benedicts rule for monasteries by abbot of monte cassino saint benedict free ebook project gutenberg. Even though it was composed from the previous many sources, the credit must be given to st. Benedict regula benedicti was written by benedict c. Benedict to any community setting, whether in the monastery or in your family. For fifteen centuries, it has served as a leading guide for balanced monastic living. Regula sancti benedicti is a book of precepts written in 516 by benedict of nursia c. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the rule of.
Almost all we know about st benedict comes from st gregory the greats dialogues, where he says that benedict, vir dei benedictus, the blessed man of god, wrote a rule for monks that is remarkable for its discretion and its clarity of language dialogues, book 11, ch. The regula basilii is a latin translation of this work, done in 397. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Founder of a monastery at monte cassino, between rome and naples, in the sixth century, st benedict intended his rule to be. Benedict is not only an ideal guide for the individual wishing to follow the benedictine path.
Benedict of nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. For its general character and also its illustration of st. Dwight longenecker on how 6thcentury wisdom can be used today. Composed nearly fifteen hundred years ago by the father. This rulebook for the monastic life was written by benedict around 530. But the workshop in which we perform all these works with diligence is the enclosure of the monastery, and stability in the community. Ad 480550 for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Benedicts rule keeping every rule for the love of christ. After an introduction and some selected passages of gregory the gretas life of st. The rule of saint benedict by benedict of nursia goodreads. It is a good example of the statement, good things come in small packages. While at the monastery, i acquired a copy of the 1980 rule of st. The inspirational work that has been guiding benedictine monks for. The rule of saint benedict regula benedicti is a book of precepts written by st.
In this kindle version, it is preserved in solid english, with a guide to reading it day by day. The rule of saint benedict study guide contains a biography of benedict of nursia, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. This work is a compilation of instructions for communal monks who live in monasteries presided over by abbots and detailed regulations for monks. Pdf the rule of st benedict in english download full. It was originally intended as a manual for aspiring monks, a diverse group composed of serfs, scholars, shepherds, and sons of the nobility. This pocketsized, englishonly edition is perfect for individual or group study.
This volume represents a new latin edition, translated and annotated in english by anna m. Today, nonmonastic readers approach the rule in order to think about changing their lives. Short of the brief history of how the rule came to pass, it is purely the rule with little explication. Benedict of nursia describes what a prospective monk has to expect when. As prepared by the benedictine monk and priest timothy fry, this translation of the rule of st. For monks and nuns this book can be a rediscovery of benedicts message, while for laypeople it sheds light on how to live ones daily commitment to the gospel. Benedict is a timeless document in so many ways as fresh and relevant as it was when it was written almost fifteen hundred years ago. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source. The explicit purpose of benedicts rule was to teach monks and their superiors how to live the monastic life. The rule of st benedict fr mark and doug with cullman monks duration.
Founder of a monastery at monte cassino, between rome and naples, in the sixth century, st benedict intended his rule. Sign me up to get more news about nonfiction books. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Benedict was a breakthrough as it discussed nonspiritual matters such as conflict between brothers. The rule of saint benedict regula benedicti is a book of precepts written by. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women. With a new preface by thomas moore, author of the care of the soul. This actually makes it earlier, as a document, than some of the ones in the early church volume. Composed nearly fifteen hundred years ago by the father of western monasticism, the rule of st. Benedict, the author presents excerpts of the rule, intertwining his own commentary. Anthony were purely eremetical, whilst those who followed the rule of st. Benedict, saint abbot of monte cassino timothy fry formulated as guidelines for monks in the sixth century a. Benedicts rules of obedience, humility, and contemplation are not only prerequisites for formal religious societies. Benedict to any community setting, whether in the monastery or i your family.
This volume, translated and with an introduction by anthony meisel and m. A monastic rule of life might seem an unlikely bestseller but the rule of st benedict was almost certainly the mostread book outside of the bible for five centuries around ad. Sep 22, 2015 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Several contemporary scholarly and literary translations of the rule into. Modestly described by its author as a little rule for beginners, this masterpiece of spiritual wisdom dates from the sixth century. For fifteen centuries benedictine monasticism has been governed by a rule that is at once strong enough to instill order and yet flexible enough to have relevance fifteenhundred years later. St benedicts inspirational work has been guiding benedictine monks for fifteen centuries, and the penguin classics edition of the rule of benedict is translated with an introduction and notes by carolinne white. While they presuppose a certain detachment from the world, they provide guidance and inspiration for anyone seeking peace and fulfillment in their home and work communities. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source with renderx xep formatter, version 3. This book is the perfect, simple, well translated rule of st.
Written in the sixth century by the father of monasticism, st. Benedicts rule for monastic living has been soul inspiring and formative for countless numbers of persons who have lived as monks, nuns, priests, deacons. Benedict himself, thiscommonsense guide to living a truly christian life is applicable to anyone, in or outside of the cloister. Pdf the rule of st benedict in english download full pdf. Although written for monastics, many of the issues addressed in the rule can be applied to life in the world outside the monastic community. Here, however, it is treated more in detail, under the following heads. Having recently read the benedict option i wanted to read what his rule was for monks. Written by a spiritual father for his children, the rule of st.
Benedict 1 the rule of saint benedict translated into english. While the book is divided up into 73 chapters, the content can be divided up into distinct themes. St benedict lived in the 5th century, and wrote his famous rule as a practical guide for abbots and brother monks living together in a monastic community. Benedict by saint benedict, abbot of monte cassino. The inspirational work that has been guiding benedictine monks for fifteen centuries founder of a monastery at monte cassino, between rome and naples, in the sixth century, st benedict intended his rule to be a practical guide to christian monastic life. The single most important document on monastic life that helped to shape western society composed in italy around 530 ad but based on earlier compilations, the rule of st benedict has been the defining guide to daily prayer and work for benedictine communities for fifteen centuries. Benedict is in and of itself a fairly short book, fewer than 100 pages. Benedicts rule and to discuss its leading characteristics.
Chapter 42 enjoins the reading of the conferences of cassian or some other edifying book in the evening before compline and orders that after compline the strictest silence shall be observed until the following morning. Benedict has for centuries been the guide of religious communities. Benedict in english kindle edition by timothy fry, timothy horner, imogene baker, fry, timothy. Pachomius, though they more nearly approached the cenobitical ideal, were yet without that element of stability insisted upon by st. The rule also embodies the idea of a written constitution, authority limited by law and under the law, and the. Ad 480547 as a rule for communal life under the order of an abbot the head of the abbey. A timeless classic by the founder of western monasticism. The rule itself is the best witness to benedicts life and character, showing us someone who was wise, kind, steeped in scripture and concise in expression. Benedict wrote a set of rules governing his monks, the rule of saint benedict, one of the more influential documents in western civilization.