Rule
A life taking shape.
SEALED RULE (1223)
Honorius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the beloved sons, Brother Francis and the other brothers of the Order of Friars Minor, greetings and apostolic blessing. The Apostolic See is accustomed to accede to pious wishes and grant benevolent favor to the honest desires of petitioners. Therefore, beloved sons in the Lord, we, welcoming your pious supplications, confirm with apostolic authority the Rule of your Order, approved by our predecessor Pope Innocent, of blessed memory and transcribed here, and we endorse it with the patronage of this present writing. The Rule is this:
CHAPTER I
In the name of the Lord! begins the life of the Friars Minor
The Rule and life of the Friars Minor is this, namely, to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity.
Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to Lord Pope Honorius and his canonically elected successors and to the Roman Church. And the other brothers are bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors.
CHAPTER II
of those who wish to undertake this life and how they should be received
If some wish to undertake this life and come to our brothers, they should send them to their provincial ministers, to whom alone and not to others is granted the admission of brothers. The ministers should then diligently examine them concerning the Catholic faith and the sacraments of the Church, and if they believe all these things and wish to faithfully profess and firmly observe them until the end; and they have no wives or, if they have, they have already entered a monastery or have given them permission with the authorization of the diocesan bishop, after having made a vow of chastity; and the wives are of such age that no suspicion can arise about them; they should say to them the word of the holy Gospel, that “they should go and sell all they possess and strive to give it to the poor.” If they cannot do so, their goodwill is sufficient. And the brothers and their ministers should take care not to be solicitous about their temporal affairs, so that they may dispose of their things freely, according to the inspiration of the Lord. If, however, they are asked for advice, the ministers have the authority to send them to God-fearing persons, so that with their advice the goods may be distributed to the poor. Then they should grant them the garments of probation, namely, two tunics without a hood and the cincture and trousers and the capperon up to the cincture unless at times it seems otherwise to the ministers according to God. After the year of probation is completed, they should be received into obedience, promising to always observe this life and Rule. And in no way will it be lawful for them to leave this Religion, according to the decree of the Lord Pope; for, as the Gospel says, “no one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” And those who have already promised obedience should have a tunic with a hood and another without, those who wish to have it. And those who are compelled by necessity may wear footwear. And all the brothers should dress in humble garments and may patch them with sackcloth and other pieces with the blessing of God. I admonish them, however, and exhort them not to despise and not to judge men whom they see dressed in soft and colored garments and using delicate foods and drinks, but rather each should judge and despise himself.
CHAPTER III
of the divine office and fasting, and how the brothers should go through the world
The clerics should recite the divine office, according to the rite of the holy Roman Church, except for the psalter, and therefore they may have breviaries. The laymen, however, should say twenty-four Our Fathers for matins, five for lauds; for prime, terce, sext, none, for each of these hours, seven; for vespers twelve; for compline seven; and pray for the deceased. And they should fast from the feast of All Saints until the Nativity of the Lord. The holy Lent, however, which begins from the Epiphany and lasts uninterruptedly for forty days, which the Lord consecrated with his holy fast, those who voluntarily fast it are blessed by the Lord, and those who do not wish are not obliged to it. But the other, until the Resurrection of the Lord, they should fast. At other times they are not bound to fast, except on Fridays. But in case of manifest necessity, the brothers are not bound to corporal fasting. Instead, I advise, admonish, and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ that, when they go through the world, they should not quarrel and avoid disputes of words, and not judge others; but be meek, peaceful, modest, gentle, and humble, speaking honestly with everyone, as is fitting. And they should not ride unless compelled by evident necessity or infirmity. In whatever house they enter, they should first say: Peace to this house; and, according to the holy Gospel, it is lawful for them to eat all the foods that are presented to them.
CHAPTER IV
that the brothers should not receive money
I firmly command all the brothers that in no way should they receive money or currency, directly or through an intermediary. However, the ministers and guardians, and they alone, through spiritual friends, should take diligent care for the needs of the sick and to clothe the other brothers, according to the places and times and cold countries, as it will seem to suit the necessity, always saving the principle, as has been said, that they should not receive money or currency.
CHAPTER V
of the manner of working
Those brothers to whom the Lord has granted the grace of working, should work faithfully and with devotion so that, having removed idleness, the enemy of the soul, they do not extinguish the spirit of holy prayer and devotion, to which all other temporal things must serve. As a reward for their work, they should receive the things necessary for the body, for themselves and for their brothers, except money or currency, and this humbly, as befits servants of God and followers of the most holy poverty.
CHAPTER VI
that the brothers should appropriate nothing, and about begging and the sick brothers
The brothers should appropriate nothing, neither house, nor place, nor any other thing. And as pilgrims and strangers in this world, serving the Lord in poverty and humility, they should go for alms with confidence. Nor should they be ashamed, because the Lord became poor for us in this world. This is the sublimity of the highest poverty which has made you, my dearest brothers, heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven, has made you poor in things and rich in virtues. This should be your portion of inheritance, which leads to the land of the living. And, adhering totally to this poverty, dearest brothers, do not wish to possess anything else in perpetuity under heaven, for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And wherever the brothers are and meet, they should show themselves familiar to each other reciprocally. And each should manifest with confidence to the other his needs, for if the mother nourishes and loves her carnal son, how much more diligently should one love and nourish his spiritual brother? And if one of them falls ill, the other brothers should serve him as they would like to be served themselves.
CHAPTER VII
of the penance to impose on brothers who sin
If any brothers, through the instigation of the enemy, have mortally sinned, for those sins for which it has been ordered among the brothers to resort to the provincial ministers alone, the aforementioned brothers should be bound to resort to them, as soon as they can without delay. The ministers, then, if they are priests, should themselves impose penance on them with mercy; if they are not priests, they should have it imposed by other priests of the Order, as it will seem to them most appropriate, according to God. And they should guard themselves from becoming angry and disturbed by someone’s sin, because anger and disturbance impede charity in themselves and in others.
CHAPTER VIII
of the election of the general minister of this fraternity and the chapter of Pentecost
All the brothers are bound to always have one of the brothers of this Order as the general minister and servant of the whole fraternity and to obey him firmly. Upon his death, the election of the successor should be made by the provincial ministers and guardians in the Chapter of Pentecost, to which the provincial ministers are always bound to attend, wherever it will be established by the general minister; and this, once every three years or within a greater or lesser term, as ordered by the aforementioned minister. And if at times it seems unanimously to the provincial ministers and guardians that the said minister is not suitable for the service and common utility of the brothers, the aforementioned brothers to whom the election is entrusted, are bound, in the name of the Lord, to elect another as their guardian. After the Chapter of Pentecost, the individual ministers and guardians may, if they wish and deem it appropriate, convene, in the same year, in their territories, once their brothers to chapter.
CHAPTER IX
of the preachers
The brothers should not preach in the diocese of any bishop if it has been forbidden to them by the same bishop. And no brother should dare to preach to the people unless he has first been examined and approved by the general minister of this fraternity and has received from him the office of preaching. I also admonish and exhort the same brothers that, in their preaching, their words should be weighed and chaste, for the benefit and edification of the people, announcing to the faithful the vices and virtues, the punishment and glory with brevity of speech, for the Lord on earth spoke with brief words.
CHAPTER X
of the admonition and correction of the brothers
The brothers, who are ministers and servants of the other brothers, should visit and admonish their brothers and correct them with humility and charity, not commanding them anything that is against their soul and our Rule. The brothers, then, who are subjects, should remember that for God they have renounced their own will. Therefore I firmly command them to obey their ministers in all those things they promised the Lord to observe and are not contrary to the soul and our Rule. And wherever there are brothers who realize and recognize that they cannot spiritually observe the Rule, they should and can resort to their ministers. The ministers, then, should welcome them with charity and benevolence and treat them with such familiarity that they can speak and act with them as masters with their servants; indeed, it should be so, that the ministers are the servants of all the brothers. I admonish, then, and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that the brothers should guard themselves from all pride, vainglory, envy, avarice, cares or concerns of this world, from detraction and murmuring. And those who do not know letters should not worry about learning them, but should pay attention that what they should desire above all things is to have the Spirit of the Lord and his holy operation, to always pray to him with a pure heart and to have humility, patience in persecution and infirmity, and to love those who persecute and reproach and slander us, for the Lord says: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute and slander you; blessed are those who endure persecution for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.”
CHAPTER XI
that the brothers should not enter the monasteries of nuns
I firmly command all the brothers not to have suspicious relations or conversations with women, and not to enter monasteries of nuns, except those to which a special license has been given by the Apostolic See. Nor should they become godfathers of men or women so that on this occasion no scandal arises among the brothers or concerning the brothers.
CHAPTER XII
of those who go among the Saracens and other infidels
Those brothers who, by divine inspiration, wish to go among the Saracens and other infidels, should ask permission from their provincial ministers. The ministers should not grant permission to anyone to go there except to those they consider suitable to be sent. Furthermore, I impose by obedience on the ministers that they ask the Lord Pope for one of the cardinals of the holy Roman Church, who will be the governor, protector, and corrector of this fraternity, so that, always subject and subordinate to the feet of the same holy Church, steadfast in the Catholic faith, we may observe the poverty, humility, and holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which we have firmly promised. Therefore, to no one, in any way, is it lawful to invalidate this writing of our confirmation or to oppose it with audacity and temerity. If anyone presumes to attempt it, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of his blessed apostles Peter and Paul.
From the Lateran, November 29, 1223, the eighth year of our pontificate.