Order of Saint Benedict

"Pray and Work"

A mainly contemplative monastic order of monks wearing mostly black habits who follow the rules of Saint Benedict of Nursia. Its a curious order without a clear superior, instead consisting of many abbeys with each an abbot at the helm. The abbey of Monte Cassino was the first abbey that lived according to the rules of Saint Benedict, starting in 530.

The 8 canonical hours or Prayer

The Benedictines have a balanced life according to a strict schedule of 8 canonical hours:

  1. Matins/Virgil: 00:00 or midnight. Its time to pray and prepare for the new day
  2. Lauds: 03:00-05:00 or at dawn/first light. time for the first prayers of the day
  3. Prime: 06:00 the early morning. wash up and receive orders for the day and private prayer or spiritual reading
  4. Terce: 09:00 or mid morning. Communal prayer and breakfast
  5. Sext: 12:00 or midday. Communal prayer and lunch, some rest and communal recreation or siesta
  6. None: 15:00 or mid-afternoon. small prayer and physical labour (farming and housekeeping)
  7. Vesper: 18:00 or evening. More prayer and dinner
  8. Compline: 19:00 or night, final prayer before bed

Rules

The rules of Saint Benedict consists of a work of 72 chapters. These outline all parts of monastic life as a monk, from the types of monks, to the several roles in the abbey, how to be a good obedient monk, how to deal with disobediant monks, the schedule of prayer and what psalms to pray, how to receive and reintegrate brothers that have strayed, how to run the kitchen, how to be a good monk when away from the abbey, rules for admitting new members, how to look/be happy while living this hard life, when to shut up and a bit more.

Important Abbeys

  • Monte Cassino Abbey, between Rome and Naples, first Benedictine Abbey
  • Fleury Abbey (Floriacum), holds relics of St. Benedict of Nursia, near OrlĂ©ans France
  • Saint Blaise Abbey, first german abbey, in the black forest
  • Downside Abbey, has a cool cathedral, Southeast England