Rule of the Master

The master rule ( Regula magistri / RM) is an anonymously authored and delivered Latin monastic rule that has emerged in the 6th century; they probably served as a model and basis for the Rule of St. Benedict ( Rule of St. Benedict / RB ).

Historical

The master control is the most extensive and most of the resulting Latin monastic rules. The anonymous monk rule owes its name to the fact that each of the chapters is reported as " the Lord's answer by the Master ." Its author, their origin and also the precise time of their composition are unknown. Starting point for the temporal and geographical classification of the master rule is the similarities in content, design, and partly wording with the Rule of St. Benedict, which suggests a direct dependence between the two monastic rules. For a long time doing the Master's rule as a younger and more dependent on the Rule of St. Benedict. The French Benedictine Augustin Genestout from the Abbey of Solesmes was 1937/38, however, to the conclusion that the Rule of St. Benedict should be dependent on the master's rule. This insight continued in the following years more and more as opinio communis through in research. This was mainly due Adalbert de Vogüé, monk of the Benedictine Abbey of La Pierre- qui French - vire, in his work on the Master's and Rule of St. Benedict. Nevertheless, it is still represented by individual researchers to believe that the Rule of St. Benedict formed the basis of the master's rule.

Judging from the priority of the master rule out, they probably built in the first quarter of the 6th century; the site of their origin would be most likely to be found in the southeastern Roman countryside. This presupposes, however, that the identification of anonymous per se rule of St. Benedict is true with the rule that Gregory the Great in the second book of his dialogues Benedict of Nursia, the founder and abbot of the monastery situated between Rome and Naples, Montecassino, attributes ( Ch. 36 ). The oldest manuscript witnesses of the Master usually are written by 600.

In addition to these two theses to a direct dependence between the two rules, the hypothesis of an indirect dependency is isolated, represented by assuming both monk usually go back to a common source. This common source is seen mostly in a lost monastic rule that could have originated in the southern French island monastery of Lérins.

Content

The master control can be divided into the following main sections:

  • Introduction of Prologue, baptismal catechesis, Our Father and Declaration of baptismal Psalms ( Ps 33 and 14)
  • RM 1: The four kinds of monks
  • RM 2-10: The spiritual service ( actus militiae cordis ), probably the oldest part of the RM
  • RM 11-50: Rules of the monastery ( ordo monasterii )
  • RM 51-53: Rules for Lent ( regularized Quadragesimalis )
  • RM 54-95: Rule of the Holy Fathers ( regulators sanctorum Patrum )

The breakdown of the long, coherent context forming section RM 11-95, which describes the organization and life of the monastic community, results from the headlines and subtitles, which makes the master rule itself a subdivision: " It starts the order of the monastery ... " ( end of RM 10), " It begins the rule of Lent " (RM 51), " It closes the rule of Lent "(before RM 54) and " It closes the rule of the holy Fathers " (at the end of RM 95 ).

As can be seen the extent of the master's rule, it contains a variety of detailed and precise instructions for the monastic life. She wants to control everything in the monastery and in the life of the monk to the individual and can thus also the abbot hardly the way to individual situation and personal solutions. The life of a monk in the monastery of the master rule is subject to comprehensive regulation and control. This has the master's rule and its author the reputation of being petty and pedantic.

Solesmes Abbey
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