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46-777: Aulne Abbey was originally founded as a Benedictine monastery in 656, on the banks of the Sambre in the Vallée de la Paix ("Valley of Peace") in the Bishopric of Liège (modern-day Belgium), by Landelinus , abbot of Crespin Abbey . Sometime before 974 the Benedictines were replaced by secular clerics leading a common life, who, in 1144 adopted the Rule of St. Augustine . At the instance of Henry of Leyen , Bishop of Liège , it came into

92-460: A chant, three antiphons, three psalms, and three lessons, along with celebrations of any local saints' days. Afterwards the monks would retire for a few hours of sleep and then rise at 6am to wash and attend the office of Prime . They then gathered in Chapter to receive instructions for the day and to attend to any judicial business. Then came private Mass or spiritual reading or work until 9am when

138-676: A loose structure of leadership and oversight. Later the mendicant orders such as the Carmelites , the Order of Friars Minor , the Order of Preachers , the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Order of Saint Augustine formed. These Mendicant orders did not hold property for their Religious Communities, instead begging for alms and going where they were needed. Their leadership structure included each member, as opposed to each Abbey or House, as subject to their direct superior. In

184-469: A marriage invalid, except in the cases in which the Holy See directed otherwise. Thus members of orders were barred absolutely from marriage, and any marriage they attempted was invalid. Those who made simple vows were obliged not to marry, but if they did break their vow, the marriage was considered valid. Another difference was that a professed religious of solemn vows lost the right to own property and

230-554: A publication now in the public domain :  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Aulne Abbey". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. 50°23′N 4°20′E  /  50.383°N 4.333°E  / 50.383; 4.333 Rule of St. Benedict The Rule of Saint Benedict ( Latin : Regula Sancti Benedicti ) is a book of precepts written in Latin c.  530 by St. Benedict of Nursia (c. AD 480–550) for monks living communally under

276-493: A reasonable request to renounce their property except for what would be required for their sustenance if they were to depart. These changes resulted in a further blurring of the previously clear distinction between orders and congregations, since institutes that were founded as congregations began to have some members who had all three solemn vows or had members that took a solemn vow of poverty and simple vows of chastity and obedience. The current 1983 Code of Canon Law maintains

322-517: A short time after it had been rebuilt on a larger scale. The library, which contained 40,000 books and 5,000 manuscripts, was also destroyed. In 1859 the last monk died; the Monastery was abandoned and the abbot's residence turned into a hospice. The son of a Belgian nobleman descended from the counts of Guelders, at the age of sixteen, Simon joined the Cistercians at Aulne as a lay-brother. He

368-728: A type of religious institute . Subcategories of religious orders are: Catholic religious orders began as early as the 500s, with the Order of Saint Benedict being formed in 529. The earliest orders include the Cistercians (1098), the Premonstratensians (1120), the Poor Clares founded by Francis of Assisi (1212), and the Benedictine reform movements of Cluny (1216). These orders were confederations of independent abbeys and priories, who were unified through

414-518: Is a colloquialism. A religious order is characterized by an authority structure where a superior general has jurisdiction over the order's dependent communities. An exception is the Order of Saint Benedict which is not a religious order in this technical sense, because it has a system of independent houses, meaning that each abbey is autonomous. However, the constitutions governing the order's global independent houses and its distinct Benedictine congregations (of which there are twenty) were approved by

460-579: Is found in the 1964 edition of the Annuario Pontificio , pp. 807–870, where the heading is "States of Perfection (of pontifical right for men)". In the 1969 edition the heading is "Religious and Secular institutes of Pontifical Right for Men", a form it kept until 1975. Since 1976, when work was already advanced on revising the Code of Canon Law, the list has been qualified as "historical-juridical". The list of religious institutes for women in

506-540: Is sometimes regarded as the founder of Western monasticism due to the reforming influence that his rules had on the then-current Catholic hierarchy. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that Benedict intended to found a religious order in the modern sense, and it was not until the Late Middle Ages that mention was made of an " Order of Saint Benedict ". His Rule was written as a guide for individual, autonomous communities, and all Benedictine Houses (and

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552-627: The Cistercians , the Trappists (a reform of the Cistercians), and the Sylvestrines . Charlemagne had Benedict's Rule copied and distributed to encourage monks throughout western Europe to follow it as a standard. Beyond its religious influences, the Rule of St Benedict was one of the most important written works to shape medieval Europe , embodying the ideas of a written constitution and

598-413: The passion of Christ that [they] may deserve also to share in his Kingdom" (Prol. 50, passionibus Christi per patientiam participemur, ut et regno eius mereamur esse consortes ; note: Latin passionibus and patientiam have the same root, cf. Fry, RB 1980, p.167). Saint Benedict's model for the monastic life was the family , with the abbot as father and all the monks as brothers. Priesthood

644-749: The Confederated Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. And the Cistercians are in thirteen congregations, each headed by an abbot general or an abbot president, but do not use the title of abbot primate. The Annuario Pontificio presents the list of male religious institutes in an Elenco Storio-Giuridico di Precedenza ("Historical-juridical list of precedence"). This list gives priority to certain types of institutes: Orders (divided into Canons Regular, monastics, mendicant orders, clerics regular), clerical religious congregations, lay religious congregations, Eastern religious congregations, secular institutes , societies of apostolic life . The list

690-484: The Congregations in which they have grouped themselves) still remain self-governing. Advantages seen in retaining this unique Benedictine emphasis on autonomy include cultivating models of tightly bonded communities and contemplative lifestyles. Perceived disadvantages comprise geographical isolation from important activities in adjacent communities. Other perceived losses include inefficiency and lack of mobility in

736-513: The Pope himself, while departments of the Holy See and superiors specially delegated by it could dispense from simple religious vows. The 1917 Code maintained a juridical distinction by declaring invalid any marriage attempted by solemnly professed religious or by those with simple vows to which the Holy See had attached the effect of invalidating marriage, while stating that no simple vow rendered

782-479: The age of eighty-four on November 6, 1228. Never formally canonized he has been venerated for centuries and is commemorated on November 6. In 2006, the abbey was acquired by the Walloon Region of Belgium as a historic monument. There is an onsite cafe for the convenience of visitors and an interpretive centre. An on-site brewery was revived in 1950. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from

828-463: The applicability of the principles and spirit of the Rule of Saint Benedict to the secular working environment. During the more than 1500 years of their existence, Benedictines have seen cycles of flourish and decline. Several reform movements sought more intense devotion to both the letter and spirit of the Rule of St Benedict, at least as they understood it. Examples include the Camaldolese ,

874-495: The authority of an abbot . The spirit of Saint Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of the Benedictine Confederation : pax ("peace") and the traditional ora et labora ("pray and work"). Compared to other precepts, the Rule provides a moderate path between individual zeal and formulaic institutionalism; because of this middle ground, it has been widely popular. Benedict's concerns were his views of

920-408: The bishop rather than to the religious superior, and the vow of poverty was modified to meet the new situation but the expelled religious "could not, for example, will any goods to another; and goods which came to him reverted at his death to his institute or to the Holy See". The former 1917 Code of Canon Law reserved the term religious order for institutes in which the vows were solemn, and used

966-560: The capacity to acquire temporal goods for themselves, but a professed religious of simple vows, while being prohibited by the vow of poverty from using and administering property, kept ownership and the right to acquire more, unless the constitutions of the religious institute explicitly stated the contrary. After publication of the 1917 Code, many institutes with simple vows appealed to the Holy See for permission to make solemn vows. The Apostolic Constitution Sponsa Christi of 21 November 1950 made access to that permission easier for nuns (in

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1012-541: The cycle again. In modern times, this timetable is often changed to accommodate any apostolate outside the monastic enclosure (e.g. the running of a school or parish). Many Benedictine Houses have a number of Oblates (secular) who are affiliated with them in prayer, having made a formal private promise (usually renewed annually) to follow the Rule of St Benedict in their private life as closely as their individual circumstances and prior commitments permit. In recent years discussions have occasionally been held concerning

1058-585: The daily life of the Benedictine revolved around the eight canonical hours. The monastic timetable, or Horarium , would begin at midnight with the service, or "office", of Matins (today also called the Office of Readings), followed by the morning office of Lauds at 3 am. Before the advent of wax candles in the 14th century, this office was said in the dark or with minimal lighting; and monks were expected to memorise everything. These services could be very long, sometimes lasting till dawn, but usually consisted of

1104-465: The distinction according to which solemn vows, unlike simple vows, were indissoluble. It recognized no totally indispensable religious vows and thereby abrogated for the Latin Church the special consecration that distinguished orders from congregations, while keeping some juridical distinctions. In practice, even before 1917 dispensations from solemn religious vows were being obtained by grant of

1150-428: The distinction between solemn and simple vows, but no longer makes any distinction between their juridical effects, including the distinction between orders and congregations. Instead, it uses the single term religious institute to designate all such institutes. While solemn vows once meant those taken in what was called a religious order, "today, in order to know when a vow is solemn it will be necessary to refer to

1196-406: The distinction. Solemn vows were originally considered indissoluble. As noted below, dispensations began to be granted in later times, but originally not even the Pope could dispense from them. If for a just cause a member of a religious order was expelled, the vow of chastity remained unchanged and so rendered invalid any attempt at marriage, the vow of obedience obliged in relation, generally, to

1242-541: The faithful Pars dynamica (trial procedure) Canonization Election of the Roman Pontiff Academic degrees Journals and Professional Societies Faculties of canon law Canonists Institute of consecrated life Society of apostolic life In the Catholic Church , a religious order is a community of consecrated life with members that profess solemn vows . They are classed as

1288-413: The hands of Cistercian monks from Clairvaux in 1147, under Franco de Morvaux as its first Cistercian abbot. From that time onwards it flourished as a Cistercian monastery. The monks constructed an extensive irrigation system and six ponds that provided fish for the abbey. Building commenced on the abbey church in 1214 by Father Gilles de Beaumont. French revolutionary troops burned the abbey in 1794, only

1334-636: The inspiration of Saint Anthony the Great (251–356), ascetic monks led by Saint Pachomius (286–346) formed the first Christian monastic communities under what became known as an Abbot , from the Aramaic abba (father). Within a generation, both solitary as well as communal monasticism became very popular and spread outside of Egypt, first to Palestine and the Judean Desert and thence to Syria and North Africa . Saint Basil of Caesarea codified

1380-498: The main principles of the religious life, viz. : the renunciation of one's own will and arming oneself "with the strong and noble weapons of obedience " under the banner of " the true King , Christ the Lord" (Prol. 3). He proposes to establish a "school for the Lord's service" (Prol. 45) in which the "way to salvation" (Prol. 48) shall be taught, so that by persevering in the monastery till death his disciples may "through patience share in

1426-413: The monastic day into regular periods of communal and private prayer , sleep, spiritual reading, and manual labour – ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus , "that in all [things] God may be glorified" ( cf. Rule ch. 57.9). In later centuries, intellectual work and teaching took the place of farming, crafts, or other forms of manual labour for many – if not most – Benedictines . Traditionally,

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1472-440: The needs of monks in a community environment: namely, to establish due order, to foster an understanding of the relational nature of human beings, and to provide a spiritual father to support and strengthen the individual's ascetic effort and the spiritual growth that is required for the fulfillment of the human vocation, theosis . The Rule of Saint Benedict has been used by Benedictines for 15 centuries, and thus St. Benedict

1518-411: The office of Terce was said, and then High Mass. At noon came the office of Sext and the midday meal. After a brief period of communal recreation, the monk could retire to rest until the office of None at 3pm. This was followed by farming and housekeeping work until after twilight, the evening prayer of Vespers at 6pm, then the night prayer of Compline at 9pm, and retiring to bed, before beginning

1564-508: The past, what distinguished religious orders from other institutes was the classification of the vows that the members took as solemn vows. According to this criterion, the last religious order founded was that of the Bethlehemite Brothers in 1673. Nevertheless, in the course of the 20th century, some religious institutes outside the category of orders obtained permission to make solemn vows, at least of poverty, thus blurring

1610-614: The pope. Likewise, according to rank and authority, the abbot primate 's "position with regard to the other abbots [throughout the world] is to be understood rather from the analogy of a primate in a hierarchy than from that of the general of an order like the Dominicans and the Jesuits ". The Canons Regular of Saint Augustine are in a situation similar to that of the Benedictines. They are organized in eight congregations, each headed by an abbot general, but also have an Abbot Primate of

1656-576: The precepts for these eastern monasteries in his Ascetic Rule, or Ascetica , which is still used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church . In the West in about the year 500, Benedict became so upset by the immorality of society in Rome that he gave up his studies there, at age fourteen, and chose the life of an ascetic monk in the pursuit of personal holiness, living as a hermit in a cave near

1702-431: The proper law of the institutes of consecrated life ." The Annuario Pontificio continues to distinguish between ordini (orders) and Congregazioni Religiose Clericali ("clerical religious congregations"). Some other authors use the terms religious order and religious institute as synonyms; canon lawyer Nicholas Cafardi, commenting on the fact that the canonical term is religious institute, write that religious order

1748-588: The religious community only making minor changes more in line with the time period relevant to his system. The Rule was translated into Armenian by Nerses of Lampron in the 10th century and is used by the Armenian Catholic Mekhitarists today. It was also translated into Old English by Æthelwold . The Rule opens with a hortatory preface, drawing on the Admonitio ad filium spiritualem , in which Saint Benedict sets forth

1794-399: The rugged region of Subiaco . In time, setting an example with his zeal, he began to attract disciples. After considerable initial struggles with his first community at Subiaco, he eventually founded the monastery of Monte Cassino in 529, where he wrote his Rule near the end of his life. In chapter 73, Saint Benedict commends the Rule of Saint Basil and alludes to further authorities. He

1840-738: The rule of law. It also incorporated a degree of democracy in a non-democratic society, and dignified manual labor . Although not stated explicitly in the rule, the motto Ora et labora is widely considered to be a shortform capturing the spirit of the rule. Notes Religious order (Catholic) Jus novum ( c.  1140 -1563) Jus novissimum ( c.  1563 -1918) Jus codicis (1918-present) Other Sacraments Sacramentals Sacred places Sacred times Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures Particular churches Juridic persons Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law Clerics Office Juridic and physical persons Associations of

1886-643: The service of others, and insufficient appeal to potential members. These different emphases emerged within the framework of the Rule in the course of history and are to some extent present within the Benedictine Confederation and the Cistercian Orders of the Common and the Strict Observance . Christian monasticism first appeared in the Egyptian desert, before Benedict of Nursia . Under

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1932-476: The strict sense), though not for religious institutes dedicated to apostolic activity. Many of these latter institutes of women then petitioned for the solemn vow of poverty alone. Towards the end of the Second Vatican Council , superiors general of clerical institutes and abbots president of monastic congregations were authorized to permit, for a just cause, their subjects of simple vows who made

1978-526: The term religious congregation (or simply congregation) for institutes with simple vows . The members of a religious order for men were called regulars, those belonging to a religious congregation were simply religious , a term that applied also to regulars. For women, those with simple vows were called religious sisters , with the term nun reserved in canon law for those who belonged to an institute of solemn vows, even if in some localities they were allowed to take simple vows instead. However, it abolished

2024-546: Was assigned to work in the monastery granaries and tend the sheep. Simon was a mystic who experienced visions and was believed to have the gift of reading hearts. His reputation spread and in 1215 he was summoned to Rome by Pope Innocent III to advise the Pope during the Fourth Lateran Council . After the council, the pope wished to ordain Simon to the priesthood, but he declined and returned to Aulne. He died at

2070-468: Was not initially an important part of Benedictine monasticism – monks used the services of their local priest. Because of this, almost all the Rule is applicable to communities of women under the authority of an abbess . This appeal to multiple groups would later make the Rule of Saint Benedict an integral set of guidelines for the development of the Christian faith. Saint Benedict's Rule organises

2116-567: Was probably aware of the Rule written by Pachomius (or attributed to him), and his Rule also shows influence by the Rule of St Augustine of Hippo and the writings of Saint John Cassian . Benedict's greatest debt, however, may be to the anonymous document known as the Rule of the Master , which Benedict seems to have radically excised, expanded, revised and corrected in the light of his own considerable experience and insight. Saint Benedict's work expounded upon preconceived ideas that were present in

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