Ordo Monasticus [Attributus]

The Monastic Order Attributed to Saint Benedict. How the brothers ought to live religiously and studiously in the monastery and to serve the Lord. First, at the night hours, when a brother has risen from his bed for the divine office, let him first make the sign of the holy cross upon himself, with an invocation of the Holy Trinity; then he says the verse, *Lord, you will open my lips*; afterwards the psalm: *God, come to my aid*, with the *Glory Be to the Father*. Then let the brother attend to the bodily necessity of nature, and so hasten to the oratory, singing the psalm: *To you, Lord, I have lifted up my soul*, to the end, entering with the utmost reverence and caution, lest he disturb others who are praying; and having proceeded to a suitable place, let him pour forth prayers in the sight of the Lord, more with the heart than with the mouth: so that his voice may be nearer to God than to himself; and then let him give thanks to God, saying: I give thanks to you, almighty God, who have deigned to guard me this night; I beseech your immense clemency, that you may grant me to spend the coming day in your service with humility and discretion, in such a way that I may please you. Amen.

Then let all be ready, standing in their own places in the choir according to order, so that when the last signal has ceased, with the utmost humility and seemliness they may offer praises to God in the sight of the angels. And if it should happen that a frequent cough or phlegm arises from the chest or nostrils, let him expel it behind his back or at his side. But let him take care diligently that it does not turn into a cause of nausea for the infirm brothers; but always, what is spat out is to be trodden underfoot, so that when they hasten to prayer, their garments may not be soiled. This is to be observed by them in all places, whether they are in the church, in the refectory, in the portico, and in every place and gathering, that what is spat out is trodden underfoot. After the completion of the night office, in that interval, let the utmost silence be observed, both in voice and in gait, and in the sound of any object, so that each one may be permitted, without disturbance to another, to confess his sins to the Lord and to implore pardon and remission for them with weeping.

When the signal has sounded at the beginning of dawn, let all hasten with humility of heart, as if crying out to God and making Him placable to them through mercy, to perform the divine office of matins with ready will, with modulations of the voice, neither too prolonged nor too curtailed, with the utmost gravity and propriety; and in this matutinal praise, let there be the greatest and most particular silence in praying or speaking. When the brothers have gathered for Prime, after that office has been completed, before the fiftieth psalm, let them give their confessions to one another in turn, with a suppliant vow, vying with each other in prayer for themselves. When this is done, let all come to the chapter, and, turned to the east, let them salute the cross and humble themselves before the other brothers on all sides; and let them do likewise in every gathering. After the names of the saints whose feast the following day will receive have been recited, let them rise together and say the verse *Pretiosa*, which is followed by a prayer from the prior; then the verse *Deus, in adjutorium*, three times, with the *Gloria Patri*. Rising again, let them say the verse *Respice, Domine, in servos tuos*, with the *Gloria Patri*. After this verse, let a prayer from the prior follow: *Dirigere et sanctificare, Domine*, etc.

After this, let the one who is at fault ask for pardon, and according to the measure of the fault, let him receive punishment; and let the brother ask for pardon both in the cloister and in any gathering or place, before the lord abbot, or the provost, or the dean, or any of the seniors: for when the senior has said, "What is the cause?" that brother who asks for pardon shall answer, "My fault, lord"; but if he says anything else whatsoever, let him be judged guilty on that account. Afterwards, let whatever is necessary and useful in the common life of the monastery be said by the lord abbot or the others from whom obedience is to be rendered: the brother who asks for pardon for a fault, the more he humbles himself and declares himself guilty, the more mercifully and lightly let him be judged by the prior; it is necessary that we always judge all our negligences, whether of thought, or of speech, or of deed, in the present life through humble confession and humility, so that they may not make us guilty after death.

Rising from chapter, and going out to work, all those standing around together say the verse, *Deus, in adjutorium*, etc. Glory be to the Father, and the Lord’s prayer, bending the knees. After the Lord’s prayer, let the prior say: *Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini*. And with all responding: *Qui fecit caelum et terram*, let them all go together or separately to the work enjoined upon them, keeping silence, chanting psalms or the *Pater noster*, in pairs or singly, according to what is suitable, saying nothing else: unless perhaps it is necessary to speak about the work itself, which shall be said cautiously. When the signal for the divine office at the canonical hours has been heard (as the Rule contains), let them immediately leave whatever is in their hands, yet so that it is not lost: and then let them all assemble together at the door of the oratory, or certainly be ready for obedience, and say the verse: *Benedictus es, Domine Deus, quia audivisti me, et consolatus es me*, three times, with the prior beginning, adding, Glory be to the Father, bending the knees; the prayer completed, let them rise and the prior say: *Misercatur nostri omnipotens Deus*, and all respond, Amen.

From the calends of October until Easter, let them do this at the third hour; from Easter until the calends of October, let this be done at the sixth and ninth hours. At all times, the utmost silence shall be maintained in the church, except for that which pertains to the ears of God; and none of the brothers shall ever dare to address another by his bare name, but (as is fitting) the seniors shall call the juniors their brothers, while the juniors shall call their seniors *nonnos*, which is of paternal reverence; the abbot, however, shall be called *lord* and *father* by all. Let no one utter any other oath, except *believe me*, as we read in the Gospel that the Lord affirmed to the Samaritan woman; or *certainly*, or *surely*. If a brother is rebuked by the prior for any reason, or by any other person, even a junior, let him at once, with the utmost speed, fall on his face and ask for pardon; because this humility is shown to God, not to man, and if it is done from the heart, it will merit forgiveness.

It is necessary, however, before all things, that they be obedient to one another, and that obedience itself (if it is offered to God with a right heart entirely) is what leads to life; for one prayer of an obedient man is more quickly heard than ten thousand of a despising one. When brothers meet one another, let the junior everywhere say to the senior, *Benedicite*; if a junior is sitting, when a senior passes by, let him rise; and if the senior wishes to sit, let the junior not sit unless bidden. If any brother is found to be harboring envy, anger, or sadness in his heart, let him be rebuked at once, so that he may be corrected, and for as many days as he has neglected to confess this, let him do penance for that many days, and if he has answered humbly and asked for penance, let him be judged with mercy. When, moreover, the lord abbot, or certainly some one of the seniors, has commanded some work to any of the brothers, let the junior receive the command of the one ordering with the utmost honesty, and let his ear be ready to hear, as if it were spoken divinely; let his feet be straight, his hands quick to do the work, and with head bowed let him say, *Benedicite*.

When they go out of the house or the community, let them say, “Benedicite,” even if alone; because the Lord is present everywhere, ready to give an account to each one who asks. If a brother has neglected something in the cellar, or the refectory, or the kitchen, or any other place, let him immediately, without any delay, run to ask pardon; and if the thing he has neglected is of such a nature, let him hold it in his hand, prostrate on the ground, asking pardon for what he has done. Let them beware of worldly and excessive laughter, and of frequent conversation with secular friends, if indeed it should be necessary. Where it cannot be otherwise, let no one speak alone with a secular person, unless other brothers are present and listening, in whose trustworthiness there is sure confidence. And let this be observed especially in the young: for a mind that wishes to serve God ought to despise and abandon the speech and company of seculars. Let them not go about within the monastery wherever they wish, unless the obedience of each one requires it, or they have obtained permission.

Let them presume to do no work, even if it seems good, without an order; let them give or accept nothing without the abbot’s command; nor have anything of their own, except what the abbot has given or permitted; nothing else ought to be given to anyone in food, drink, or clothing beyond what the Rule prescribes: but whoever desires to have more does not shrink from stirring up an occasion against himself for our hidden enemy. Let no one reproach another with a past or shameful sin; if a senior sees a junior offending, let him correct him between himself and him alone, once, twice, and a third time only for lighter faults: because if anything graver should happen to be perpetrated, let it be corrected at once according to the Rule: and whoever wishes to chastise another should strive to bind up lightly according to the quality of the neglect, since often a fracture of a limb is broken worse which is bound up carelessly. As for unclean thoughts and harmful or foolish words, let recourse always be had to confession: let the brothers answer one another humbly.

At the canonical hour, upon hearing the signal, let them hasten quickly to prayer, and let them not quarrel about anything: but if a dispute should occur, let the one who falls silent first be considered the wiser. Before the hour or after the hour, let them take no food: except for the sick and infants, whose weakness is to be considered by the prior. Let no one speak ill, or consent to one who speaks ill. Let the brothers sow peace among themselves, not the discord of seculars: let idle tales be far from them. At the appointed hours, let them not neglect to perform manual labor, because it is a virtue of soul and body: at the other hours, let them devote themselves to reading: and if it can be done, let them sit in one place or in the cloister, so that, seeing one another, they may be constrained, and let them read in silence, and let no one join himself to another, unless necessity demands it; yet even that is to be done without disturbing another. In summer time, let each one go to his own place, with the utmost caution, and without disturbing another, and let him either read or sleep.

Let none of the brothers call anything his own, whether some thing or some part of the body, but always ours; it is only proper to say "my fault" as one's own; all things which God gives us ought to be common, except sin, because that comes from our weakness. Great care must be taken that the command of the lord abbot concerning any matter be fulfilled diligently, because this same obedience, if rightly performed, is rendered not to him who commands, but to God; and if it should happen to be neglected (which may it not), let the one who has offended quickly have recourse to asking pardon. When they stand in choir for psalmody, let them chant with united voice and heart, and let those begin the verse who can do so more usefully than the others, so that the rest may be able to join in pronouncing the word by the first or second syllable. At the hour of refection, after the completion [of the office], let them wait in church chanting in choir; when they hear the cymbal, let them, in an orderly manner and without any noise, hasten with washed hands to enter the refectory, greeting the cross, with faces turned to the east, and let all sit at table, each in his own order, in complete silence. And let no one presume to take any food or drink before the lord abbot; the abbot himself should not delay in taking [his food]. When they take bread, let them say to one another, "Benedicite," and let them answer, "Dominus," and let them do likewise for drink, when they first drink. For the other dishes which are on the table, it is not necessary to ask a further blessing.

Before they begin to take food, the reader shall ask for a blessing, and begin to read, and no voice shall be heard there except that of the reader alone, unless perhaps something shorter is said for edification. Afterwards, whatever dish is served from the kitchen, the server shall begin from the last and proceed in serving up to the lord abbot, and then the cymbal shall sound softly, and the brothers shall say, "Benedicite," with an equal voice and drawn out. After the blessing is given in common, they shall wait (as we have already said) for the abbot to take first, afterwards each one saying, "Benedicite." When they bless food, or drink, or anything else, they shall bless not sitting but standing: but if something has been mixed with such things, the cellarer shall make a small sign to the server, and immediately the young men shall rise to mix, and having washed the cups, they shall fill them with a measure of water, and stand in order, as they are conversi: then the cellarer shall again sound the cymbal softly, and the brothers shall say with one voice, drawn out, "Benedicite," and after the blessing is given by the prior, the younger brother who gives the cup into the hand of the one sitting shall bow his head humbly: when the work of mixing is completed, he shall bow in a circle to all the brothers, and likewise to their tables. Apples and any raw produce of the earth, whether at the hour of the meal, or equally with other food.

At table, before the brothers come or sit down, the cellarer shall distribute to each brother; and immediately after the other food, those things added to the table shall be eaten. When this is completed, the reading shall end at once, and rising from the table after the verse has been said, the left choir shall go out first in order, the right choir afterwards, and last of all the lord abbot, chanting the psalm *Miserere mei, Deus*, the second, etc., distinctly and without haste. When they have entered the oratory, while chanting they shall bow as far as the *Gloria*; at the *Gloria*, however, they shall bend the knee, and after the Lord’s Prayer, rising, they shall go in silence according to what is fitting for the time. After vespers, however, at a suitable hour, when the signal has been given, all shall assemble in the chapter house, and Scripture that edifies the hearers shall be read, as much as the hour permits; when the reading is finished, all shall rise together, and the lord abbot shall say: *Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini*, and all shall respond: *Qui fecit caelum et terram*, and with silence and reverence they shall enter for compline, and pray with intention of mind, and make their confessions to one another, and thus begin compline.

After the office is completed, they shall maintain the utmost silence: and secret prayers and recollections of sins shall be made with heart and mouth, with groaning and tears and weeping, without sighing, so that no one disturbs another. Then he shall give thanks to God, reciting thus: "I give thanks to you, omnipotent eternal God, who have deigned to guard me this day through your holy mercy; I beseech your immense clemency, that you may grant me to pass through this night without any sin or hindrance of Satan, with sweet and chaste rest, so that when the morning time comes, rising purely and vigorously, I may be able to offer praises to you, my God." And thus with great caution they shall go to the dormitory, and when a brother has approached his own bed, as he settles himself, he shall say the psalm: "Deus, in adjutorium," the whole Gloria, and afterwards he shall say the verse: "Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo, et ostium circumstantiae labiis meis"; and thus he shall fortify himself with the sign of the holy cross, and sleep in the Lord. Amen.

Thus an old manuscript of Monte Cassino, a copy of which, taken from the original itself, was communicated to me by the Reverend Father James du Brevil, a monk of Saint-Germain-des-Prés: which manuscript indeed ascribes ordinances of this kind to Saint Benedict, because they were found at the end of the Rule which Saint Benedict wrote with his own hands and handed over to Saint Maurus when he sent him to Gaul: which ordinances Dom Peter the Venerable, ninth abbot of the monastery of Cluny, when he had found them at the Great Monastery of Tours in the same Rule (which was preserved there as a relic), requested to be sent to him. Thus the manuscript. If this is so, it is to be believed that ordinances of this kind are very ancient. And if they are not of Saint Benedict, they were at least the pious and holy constitutions of a very ancient monastery of our Gaul, which for that reason Brother Arnold Wion together with the Rule took care to have printed at Venice, in the year at the Giunta press.