Regulate of François saint

It is not good to say the rule of Saint François d' Assise but the rules of Saint François d' Assise because there were of it several of which some are definitively lost. Only one however can really have the canonical title of Rule. There exists also a complement of the Rule for the hermitages as well as an extract of Rule for Sainte Claire and her sisters.

Propositum (1209)

Of very short and very simple drafting, this rule was probably written about 1209 and was approved by the pope Innocent III. The texts were never found. Saint François speaks about it in his will with these words (cf Test 14-15): " And after the Lord had given me brothers, nobody showed me what I was to do, but the Almighty himself revealed me that I was to live according to the form of the saint Gospel. And me I made it write in few words and simply, and the lord pope confirmed it to me. ".

First Rule (1221)

The text called traditionally the " First Rule " is an error because it is not nor the first and it is not a rule in the sense that not having received the approval of the pope, it cannot be called canonically Règle.

The text writes in 1221 resembles more one spiritual directory than of legislation. But it is an essential document for which wishes to know the authentic spirit of the founder about the Minor Brothers.

This text was probably presented to all the brothers of the Order (between 3 and 5 thousand brothers) during the chapter of Pentecost 1221.

Second Rule (1223)

The Second Rule is written in partnership between Saint François d' Assise and the guard about the Minor Brothers, the cardinal Hugolin (later the pope Gregoire IX). Written with the hermitage of Cast iron Colombo, it is in 12 chapters that Frère François wrote this Rule, under the dictation of the Christ, for whom it had to be begun again there with twice the first drafting having been lost (See LP 113).

This text saw its writing in a context where the legislation was usual. The enlargement of the Orders of number and in space as well as the distance of the founder obliged the writing of a federator text which crosses space and time so that there is less deviation compared to the spirit of the founder.

The Hugolin Cardinal also took part in the drafting. He confirmed it in his Bulle Quo elongati in 1230. One finds, in this rule, of the formulations of a person very close to the legal formulas written by the protective cardinal who was usual of these terms.

But few workings of the pontifical chancellery do not empèchent final approval by the pope Honorius III on November 29th 1223 in the bubble Solet annuere . The important lines of the preceding writings appear still with same certain contributions concerning the wishes of poverty, the work of the brothers, balance between contemplation and the action as well as the missions at the pagan ones and other infidels.

This Rule written in 1223 still governs the Order of the Minor Brothers. It is this rule which the minor brothers make profession observe.

Regulate for the hermitages

The date of drafting of this short writing perhaps fixed with absolute certainty. There probably existed before 1218. This proves that the attraction of the loneliness tested by François before brothers was given to him made feel as of the beginnings of the order and that François approved it.

The bottom and the shape of this ticket reveal us competences of writing of François saint without the assistance neither of the brother Césaire de Spire, nor of the cardinal Hugolin.

Regulate for Claire and her sisters

Gregoire IX refers to a small rule of life composed by François saint for holy Claire and her partners. He refers of it on May 11th, 1238 in his bubble Angelis gaudium . Claire speaks to us about it more precisely still in her rule (chapter VI): “ And the happy one, indicator which we had fear neither of the poverty neither of the work neither of the tribulation neither of the humble life nor of the contempt of the world, but that we find on the contrary our greater joy there, then, in its affection for us, it wrote a form of life to us starting with these terms: " Quia divina" ”. It dates from the beginning of the religious life with Saint Damien.

The instruction of François d' Assise are identical for the first and the second order: To observe the Gospel and to imitate Christ .

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