The Rule
of our Seraphic Father
Saint Francis

 THE BULL OF POPE HONORIUS III ON THE RULE OF THE FRIARS MINOR

HONORIUS, BISHOP, SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD, TO HIS BELOVED SONS, BROTHER FRANCIS AND THE OTHER BROTHERS OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR, HEALTH AND APOSTOLIC BLESSING:

The Apostolic See is accustomed to accede to the pious requests and to be favorably disposed to grant the praiseworthy desires of its petitioners. Wherefore, beloved sons in the Lord, attentive to your pious prayers, We confirm for you with our apostolic authority, and by this document ratify the rule of your Order herein contained and approved by our predecessor, Pope Innocent of happy memory; and we confirm it by this document.

It reads as follows:

(Chapter I)
In the name of the Lord!
The Life of the Friars Minor begins:

1. The rule and life of the Friars Minor is this: to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity. 2. Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Honorius and his canonically elected successors and to the Roman Church. 3. And let the other brothers be bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors.

(Chapter II)
Those who wish to embrace this life and how they should be received

1. If there are any who wish to accept this life and come to our brothers, let them send them to the ministers provincial, to whom and to no other is permission granted for receiving brothers. 2. The ministers should diligently examine them concerning the Catholic faith and the sacraments of the Church. 3. And if they believe all these things and are willing to profess them faithfully and observe them steadfastly to the end; 4. and [if] they have no wives, or if they have wives [who] have already taken a vow of continence and are of such an age that suspicion cannot be raised about them, [and who] have already entered a monastery or have given their husbands permission by the authority of the bishop of the diocese, 5. let the ministers speak to them the words of the Holy Gospel (cf. Mt. 19:21) that they should go and sell all that belongs to them and strive to give it to the poor. 6. If they cannot do this, their good will suffices.
7. And let the brothers and their ministers beware not to become solicitous over their temporal affairs, so that they may freely dispose of their goods as the Lord may inspire them. 8. But if they stand in need of counsel, the ministers may have permission to send them to some Godfearing persons who may advise them how they should give what they have to the poor. 9. Then they may be given the clothes of probation, namely, two tunics without hood, a cord, short trousers, and a little cape reaching to the cord, 10. unless at some time it seems [proper] to these same ministers before God to make other provisions. 11. When the year of probation is ended, let them be received into obedience, whereby they promise to observe this life and rule always. 12. And in no way shall it be lawful for them to leave this Order, according to the decree of the Lord Pope, 13. since, according to the Gospel: No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God (Lk. 9:62).
14. And those who have already promised obedience may have one tunic with a hood, and, if they wish, another without a hood. 15. And those who are forced by necessity may wear shoes. 16. And let all the brothers wear poor clothes, and let them mend them with pieces of sackcloth and other material, with the blessing of God. 17. I admonish and exhort them not to look down or pass judgment on those people whom they see wearing soft and colorful clothing and enjoying the choicest food and drink; instead, each must criticize and despise himself.

(Chapter III)
The Divine Office and Fasting and
The way the Brothers should go about the world

1. The clerical [brothers] shall celebrate the Divine Office according to the rite of the holy Roman Church, except for the Psalter, 2. for which reason they may have breviaries. 3. The lay [brothers,] however, shall pray twentyfour Our Fathers for Matins, five for Lauds, seven for each of the hours of Prime, Terse, Sext, and None, twelve for Vespers, and seven for Compline. 4. And they shall pray for the dead. 5. And [all the brothers] shall fast from the feast of All Saints until the Nativity of the Lord. 6. May those who fast voluntarily for the holy Lent which begins at Epiphany and continues for forty days, which the Lord consecrated by his own fast (cf. Mt. 4:2), be blessed by the Lord; and those who do not wish to keep it shall not be obliged. 7. But they shall fast during that other Lent which lasts until the Resurrection. 8. At other times, however, they are not bound to fast except on Fridays. 9. But in times of manifest necessity the brothers are not obliged to corporal fasting.

10. I counsel, admonish and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, that, when they go about the world they do not quarrel or fight with words (cf. 2 Tim. 2:14), or judge others; 11. rather, let them be meek, peaceful and unassuming, gentle and humble, speaking courteously to everyone, as is becoming. 12. And they should not ride horseback unless they are forced by manifest necessity or infirmity. 13. In whatever house they enter, let them say: Peace to this house (cf. Lk. 10:5). 14. And, according to the Holy Gospel, they are free to eat of whatever food is set before them (cf. Lk. 10:8).

(Chapter IV)
The Brothers are never to receive money

1. I firmly command all the brothers that they in no way receive coins or money, either personally or through an intermediary. 2. Nonetheless let the ministers and custodians alone take special care to provide for the needs of the sick and the clothing of the other brothers through spiritual friends according to [diversity of] places and seasons and cold climates, as they may judge the demands of necessity; 3. excepting always, as stated above, they do not receive coins or money.

(Chapter V)
The Manner of working

1. Those brothers to whom the Lord has given the grace of working should do their work faithfully and devotedly 2. so that, avoiding idleness, the enemy of the soul, they do not extinguish the Spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all other things of our earthly existence must contribute. 3. As payment for their work they may receive whatever is necessary for their own bodily needs and [those of] their brothers, but not money in any form; 4. and they should do this humbly as is fitting for servants of God and followers of most holy poverty.

(Chapter VI)
The Brothers shall not acquire anything as their own; begging alms; the sick brothers

1. The brothers shall not acquire anything as their own, neither a house nor a place nor anything at all. 2. Instead, as pilgrims and strangers (cf. 1 Pt. 2:11) in this world who serve the Lord in poverty and humility, let them go begging for alms with full trust, 3. Nor should they feel ashamed since the Lord made himself poor for us in this world (cf. 2 Cor. 8:9). 4. This is that summit of highest poverty which has established you, my most beloved brothers, as heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven; it has made you poor in the things [of this world] but exalted you in virtue (cf. Jas. 2:5). 5. Let this be your portion, which leads into the land of the living (cf. Ps. 141:6). 6. Dedicating yourselves totally to this, my most beloved brothers, do not wish to have anything else forever under heaven for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7. And wherever the brothers may be together or meet [other] brothers, let them give witness that they are members of one family. 8. And let each one confidently make known his need to the others, for, if a mother has such care and love for her son born according to the flesh (cf. 1 Thes. 2:7), should not someone love and care for his brother according to the Spirit even more diligently? 9. And if any of them become sick, the other brothers should serve him as they would wish to be served themselves (cf. Mt. 7:12).

(Chapter VII)
The Penance to be imposed on the brothers who sin

1. If any of the brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, sin mortally in regard to those sins about which it may have been decreed among the brothers to have recourse only to the ministers provincial, such brothers must have recourse to them as soon as possible, without delay. 2. If these ministers are priests, they shall impose a penance upon them with mercy; but if they are not priests, they shall have it imposed by other priests of the Order as it seems best to them according to God. 3. They must take care not to become angry or disturbed because of the sin of another, since anger and disturbance hinder charity in themselves and in others.

(Chapter VIII)
The Election of the Minister General of this Fraternity and the Chapter of Pentecost

1. All the brothers are bound always to have one of the brothers of this Order as the minister general and servant of the entire fraternity and they are bound strictly to obey him. 2. Should he die, the election of a successor should be made by the ministers provincial and the custodians at the Chapter of Pentecost, for which the ministers provincial are always bound to convene in whatever place it has been decided by the minister general; 3. and they shall do this once every three years or at a longer or shorter interval as decided by the aforesaid minister. 4. And if at any time it should become evident to the body of the ministers provincial and the custodians that the aforesaid minister is not qualified for the service and general welfare of the brothers, then the same brothers, to whom the election is entrusted, are bound in the name of the Lord to elect another for themselves as custodian. 5. After the Chapter of Pentecost each minister and custodian may call his brothers to a Chapter once in the same year in their territories if they wish and if it seems expedient to them.

(Chapter IX)
Preachers

1. The brothers shall not preach in the diocese of any bishop when he has opposed their doing so. 2. And none of the brothers shall dare to preach to the people unless he has been examined and approved by the minister general of this fraternity and has received from him the office of preaching. 3. I also admonish and exhort these brothers that, in their preaching, their words be well chosen and chaste (cf. Ps(s). 11:7; 17:31), for the instruction and edification of the people, speaking to them of vices and virtues, punishment and glory in a discourse that is brief, because it was in few words that the Lord preached while on earth.

(Chapter X)
The Admonition and Correction of the Brothers

1. The brothers who are the ministers and servants of the other brothers should visit and admonish their brothers and humbly and charitably correct them, not commanding them anything which might be against their conscience and our Rule. 2. On the other hand, the brothers who are subject to them should remember that they have given up their own wills for God. 3. Therefore I strictly command them to obey their ministers in all those things which they have promised the Lord to observe and which are not against [their] conscience and our Rule. 4. And wherever there are brothers who know and realize that they cannot observe the Rule spiritually, it is their duty and right to go to the minister for help. 5. The ministers on their part should receive them with great kindness and love and should be so approachable that these brothers can speak and deal with [the ministers] as masters with their servants; 6. for this is the way it should be: the ministers shall be the servants of all the brothers. 7. At the same time I admonish and exhort the brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ that they beware of all pride, vainglory, envy, avarice (cf. Lk. 12:15), cares and worries of this world (cf. Mt. 13:22), detraction and complaint. And those who are illiterate should not be eager to learn. 8. Instead let them pursue what they must desire above all things: to have the Spirit of the Lord and his holy manner of working, 9. to pray always to him with a pure heart and to have humility, patience in persecution and weakness, 10. and to love those who persecute us, find fault with us, or rebuke us, because the Lord says: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute and slander you (Mt. 5:44). 11. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 5:10). 12. But whoever perseveres to the end, he will be saved (Mt. 10:22).

(Chapter XI)
The Brothers are not to enter the monasteries of nuns

1. I firmly command all the brothers not to have any associations or meetings with women which could arouse suspicion. 2. Moreover, they should not enter the monasteries of nuns, except those [brothers] to whom special permission has been granted by the Apostolic See. 3. They should not be godfathers of men or women so that scandal not arise on this account among the brothers or concerning them.

(Chapter XII)
Those who go among the Saracens and other nonbelievers

1. Those brothers who, by divine inspiration, desire to go among the Saracens and other nonbelievers should ask permission from their ministers provincial. 2. But the ministers should not grant permission except to those whom they consider fit to be sent.

3. In addition, I command the ministers through obedience to petition the Lord Pope for one of the cardinals of the holy Roman Church, who would be the governor, protector, and corrector of this fraternity, 4. so that, always submissive and prostrate at the feet of the same holy Church, and steadfast in the Catholic faith, we may observe the poverty and the humility and the Holy Gospel (cf. Col. 1:23) of our Lord Jesus Christ which we have firmly promised.

HERE ENDS THE RULE AND LIFE OF THE FRIARS MINOR

THE CONFIRMATION OF THE RULE

No one, therefore, is in any way permitted to tamper with this decree of our confirmation or to oppose it rashly. If anyone, however, should presume to attempt this, let it be known that he shall incur the indignation of Almighty God and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
Given at the Lateran, the twentyninth day of November, in the eighth year of our Pontificate.

HERE ENDS THE CONFIRMATION OF THE RULE OF THE FRIARS MINOR