The Rule of St. Benedict, written around 530 AD by St. Benedict of Nursia, describes in seventy-three chapters the practical and spiritual life of the monks and nuns of all Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries in the Church.
Monks reference the Rule as a foundational text second only to Scripture — emphasizing prayer, simplicity, manual labour and deep silence. The Cistercian reform sought to reclaim the original monastic balance as envisioned by Saint Benedict.
Today, the Constitutions and Statutes of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance combine the timeless Rule with modern monastic legislation, defining the community’s spiritual life, governance and daily practice.