Regula Ad Monachos

Saint Caesarius’s Rule for Monks. Concerning Saint Caesarius and His Rule. Here Begins the Rule. Transmitted by the Priest Saint Tetradius, nephew of blessed memory Saint Caesarius, Bishop of Arles, at the request of my humble person; which he said was dictated by his aforementioned lord Caesarius; which he himself, while a priest, sent throughout various monasteries. Here begins, in the name of Christ, the Rule which ought to be observed in a monastery where there is an abbot, whoever he may be. CHAPTER ONE. First, if anyone comes for conversion, he is to be received on the condition that he will persevere there until his death. His lay clothing, however, is not to be changed unless he first makes deeds of sale of his property, as the Lord commanded, saying: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell everything you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me” (Matthew 19). Certainly, if he does not wish to sell, let him make deeds of donation either to his parents or to the monastery, provided that he is free and has nothing of his own. If his father or mother is still alive, and he does not have the power to do this, he is to be compelled to do it when they have died. Whatever he has brought with him, he is to hand over to the abbot; he is to reserve nothing for himself. And if any of his relatives sends something, he is to offer it to the abbot. If it is necessary for him, he may have it at the abbot’s command; if it is not necessary for him, it is to be added to the common property and given to whoever needs it.

II. Let all things be common to you. III. Let no one have a private cell, or a cupboard, or any kind of locked space; let all remain in one common room. IV. They shall not swear; because the Lord said: Do not swear at all, but let your speech be “yes, yes,” “no, no” (Matthew 5). V. Anyone found lying shall receive the prescribed discipline; because “The mouth that lies kills the soul” (Wisdom 1); and “You will destroy those who speak falsehood” (Psalm 5). VI. They shall not curse; because it is written: “Nor will those who curse possess the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6). VII. They shall do not whatever work each one wishes, but that which is assigned to them. VIII. While we are singing the psalms, let no one presume to speak. IX. At table while they are eating, let no one speak; but let one person read from whatever book, so that just as the body is refreshed by food, the soul may be refreshed by the word of God, as the Lord says: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Matthew 4). As the earth is without rain, and the flesh without food, so is the soul if it is not refreshed by the word of God.

X. Let no one receive a child from baptism. XI. Women shall never enter the monastery. Whoever is in a remote place, at the sound of the signal for every work of God, let no one come late. If anyone comes late, let him immediately receive strokes of the rod on his hands. When the abbot, or the provost, or any senior is reproving him, let him not presume to answer at all. XII. Do not have quarrels among yourselves: for the Apostle says thus: A servant of the Lord ought not to quarrel, but to be gentle (2 Tim. 2). Certainly, if it should happen, as is human frailty, that you provoke each other with harsh words, let not the sun set upon your anger (Eph. 4). XIII. But let no one presume to reproach an angry person; but those who know they have done what they ought not, let them mutually ask forgiveness from each other, fulfilling that commandment of God where he says: Forgive and it will be forgiven you. If you do not forgive, your heavenly Father will not forgive you your sins (Matt. 6). The anger of a man does not work the justice of God (Jas. 1). If you offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, go first to be reconciled to your brother; and then coming, you will offer your gift (Matt. 5). Be certain that while you are angry against another, your prayer is not received; nor is it lawful for an angry person to receive communion. And therefore fulfill what the Lord says: I give you my peace, I leave you my peace (John 14). By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13).

John further said: "He who hates his brother walks in darkness and walks in shadows. He who hates his brother is a murderer. Charity is God; he who remains in charity, God remains in him" (1 John 3). And if we are commanded to love our enemies and to do good to them, with what face do we hate a brother? XIV. At all times until the third hour they shall read; after the third hour each one shall do the work assigned to him. XV. No one shall secretly receive anything, especially letters; no one shall receive or send letters without the knowledge of the abbot. XVI. The abbot shall provide food and clothing. For just as it is ordained that they have nothing of their own, so it is just that they receive all necessities from the holy abbot. XVII. The sick shall be treated so that they may recover more quickly. XVIII. Perform every ministry with good will, so that you may fulfill this: "I will sacrifice willingly to you" (Psalm 53); for the reward will be sufficiently high for him who does willingly, rather than for him who does unwillingly what is commanded.

XIX. Strive to enter through the narrow gate, because the straight and laborious way leads to life, while the muddy and broad way leads to death (Luke 13). You, however, as if you were about to engage in battle, if you had marched against some people, would not there cause death; so much the more in this spiritual combat fight, that the adversaries of your soul may not strike you. As many vices as you have, so many adversaries you will have; therefore fight as soldiers of Christ, so that you may reign with Him in heaven, who said: "If anyone takes up his cross and follows me: if anyone leaves his father, mother, wife, children, and possessions, he will receive a hundredfold and will possess eternal life" (Matthew 19). Have this contest among yourselves, that one may conquer the other through humility, through charity: who is lesser; who is more vigilant in the work of God; who has greater patience; who is silent, gentle, mild, contrite: so that God and His angels may rejoice in your holy way of life, and the devil, the ancient enemy, may be confounded; who always plots to make wretched man act against God's will, lest there be a place from which he was cast out for his presumption: "Run thus that you may overtake" (1 Corinthians 9), and be able to say: "I have run the way of your commandments" (Psalm 118). See, brothers, how cautiously you walk; not as fools: redeeming time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not become imprudent, but understand what the will of God is.

Do not become drunk with wine, in which there is lustfulness, but be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking among yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and chanting in your hearts to the Father and to God: subject to one another in the fear of Christ (Ephesians 5). XX. From the month of October until Easter, they shall keep two night offices and three masses. At one mass, a brother shall read three leaves, and pray; he shall read another three, and rise. XXI. Say the antiphon, the responsory, and another antiphon; these antiphons from the order of the Psalter. After this, say matins, the directaneum: "I will exalt you, my God and my King." Then the entire matutinary shall be said in order with antiphons. Every Sunday, perform six masses. The first mass shall always be read from the Resurrection; no one shall sit. When the masses are finished, say matins, with the directaneum: "I will exalt you, my God and my King." Then, "Confitemini." Then, "Cantemus Domino." "Lauda, anima mea, Dominum." The Benediction. "Laudate Dominum de cœlis." "Te Deum laudamus." "Gloria in excelsis Deo," and the capitellum. Every Sunday shall be said thus.

XXII. From holy Easter until the month of September, fasting shall be observed only on the fourth and sixth days. From the month of September until the Lord’s Nativity, fasting shall be observed daily. Again, for two weeks before Lent, fasting shall be observed daily, except on the Lord’s day, on which it is not at all permitted to fast, because of the Lord’s resurrection. If anyone fasts on the Lord’s day, he sins. From the Lord’s Nativity until two weeks before Lent, fasting shall be observed on the second, fourth, and sixth days; thereafter, until Easter, fasting shall be observed every day, except on the Lord’s day. Whoever fasts on the Lord’s day sins. For the evening meal in a fast, three dishes shall be prepared; for the midday meals and for the evening meal, however, only two dishes shall be prepared: at the midday meal they shall receive two dishes of vegetables, and at the evening meal likewise, and in a fast, three dishes. No one shall presume to have at his bed anything that is eaten or drunk. XXIII. Whoever has been excommunicated for some fault shall be confined in a single cell, and shall read there with one senior, until he is ordered to come for pardon.

XXIV. Fowl and meat shall never be taken by the healthy; whatever is necessary shall be provided to the sick. XXV. On every Sabbath and every Lord’s Day, or on feast days, twelve psalms, three antiphons, and three lessons shall be said: one from the Prophets, another from the Apostle, and the third from the Gospel. XXVI. Although we are less capable warriors, we provide you with spiritual arms against the fiery darts of the devil. Rejoice and exult in the Lord, venerable sons, and give him continually abundant thanks, who deigned to draw and summon you from the dark way of life of this world to the harbor of quiet and religion. Ponder continually whence you came, and where you have merited to arrive. You have faithfully abandoned the darkness of the world, and you have happily begun to see the light of Christ. You have scorned the fire of lust, and you have arrived at the refreshment of chastity; you have rejected gluttony, and you have chosen abstinence; you have repudiated avarice and luxury, and you have held to charity and mercy. And although until the end of your life the struggle will not be lacking for you, yet with God granting it, we are secure concerning your victory. But I ask you, venerable sons, that as much as you are secure concerning the past, so much you be anxious concerning the future. For all crimes or sins quickly return to us, if they are not daily fought against by good works. Hear the apostle Peter saying: Be sober, and watch, because your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion seeking to devour something, goes about (1 Pet. 5).

As long as we live in this body, day and night, with Christ as our helper and guide, let us fight against the devil. For there are some, which is worse, negligent and lukewarm, who boast only of the name of Christianity, and think that it suffices for them to have changed their clothing and to have taken up the habit of religion; not knowing that prophetic saying: "Son, when you approach the service of God, stand in justice and fear, and prepare your soul for temptation" (Sirach 2); nor considering the sentence of the Psalmist: "Because of the words of your lips, I have kept to hard ways" (Psalm 16); and that which the Apostle said: "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven" (Acts 14). For we can put off secular garments and take up religious ones in the space of a single hour; but we ought, with Christ as helper, to labor as long as we live to retain good habits continually, and to fight against the evil delights of this world. For it is not he who has begun, but he who has persevered to the end, who will be saved (Mark 13).