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Let them sleep singly, each in a separate bed. Let each one receive the appropriate bedding for their way of life, according to the ruling of the Abbot.
Singuli per singulos lectos dormiant. Lectisternia pro modo conservationis, secundum dispensationem Abbatis sui, singuli accipiant.
If possible, let all sleep in one place; if, however, their number does not permit this, then they should rest by tens or twenties with the seniors who have charge of them.
Si potest fieri, omnes in uno loco dormiant; si autem multitudo non sinit, deni, aut viceni cum senioribus suis, qui super eos solliciti sint, pausent.
Let a candle burn constantly in this same room until morning.
Candela iugiter in eadem cella ardeat usque mane.
Let them sleep clothed, and girded with belts or cords, and without knives at their sides while they sleep, lest they might be injured while sleeping, and so that the monks might always be ready, when the signal is given, they rise without delay, let them hasten to outdo each other to arrive at the work of God, yet with all gravity and modesty.
Vestiti dormiant, et cincti congulis aut funibus, et cultellos ad latus non habeant dum dormiunt, ne forte per somnium vulnerentur dormientes, et ut parati sint monachi semper, et facto signo absque mora surgentes, festinent invicem se praevenire ad opus Dei, cum omni tamen gravitate et modestia.
Let the younger brothers not have beds near each other but be mixed with the seniors.
Adolescentiories fratres iuxta se non habeant lectos, sed permixti cum senioribus.
When they rise for the work of God, let each encourage each other, because of the excuses of the sleepy.
Surgentes vero ad opus Dei, invicem se moderate cohortentur, propter somnolentorum excusationes.
Comment
The first sentence of this chapter may seem rather obvious – everyone to have their own bed – but it must have been said by St Benedict because of contrary practices elsewhere. His Rule is one of moderation, with no extreme ascetic practices, and getting a good night’s sleep is important. The note about the bedding may be related to the quality of materials provided; someone coming to a monastic life from the aristocracy will undoubtedly have been used to a higher quality of bedding – feather mattress, fine sheets, pillows, etc., but as a monk they have to adopt a more modest way of life. In chapter 55 St Benedict actually specifies that a monk should have a straw mattress, blanket, bed cover and one pillow. The Abbot of course may allow special indulgences to the sick or old.
The monks are to sleep in a dormitory; initially this was one large room. Over time, this room was subdivided into separate cells by means of timber screens. These days, it is normal monastic practice for monks and nuns to each have a cell in which they sleep and read.
A candle burns in the dormitory (or corridor of the dormitory) all night. Why does he make this a rule? He gives no explanation.
The next sentence gives us clues about the monks’ clothing as they are directed to sleep clothed. They wear loose clothing (habits) and wearing a belt around the habit indicates they are ready to work – in this case the work of God. Benedictines and Cistercians to this day wear leather belts with their habits. It’s quite common, however, for friars such as Franciscans to use rope belts instead. St Benedict states they should not wear their knives in bed – presumably from practical experience of the potential consequences! This, of course, tells us that each monk would have carried a knife at all times during the day, for use with food, for sharpening quill pens, for cutting other items as required.
Monks would wear these same habits 24/7, though often they would have underclothes underneath which could be washed occasionally. This was a common thing in the medieval period and indeed, right through to our own days. People didn’t wash their clothes as much; they wore undershirts or underdresses next to the skin, but I expect practices varied. It’s only in recent times, with the invention of the washing machines, that we have got into the habit of throwing all our clothes into a washing machines; before this invention, outer garments were washed rarely or not at all. I don’t know what all monasteries do today, but in some I do know, the nuns/monks wear “night habits”, based on standard monastic design, but washable. Many monasteries, even to this day, avoid washing day habits, which are made of heavy materials, including wool. This is an aspect of holy poverty that most people don’t think of; for most of human history, washing clothes or bodies in hot water was a luxury available only to the rich.
One of the reasons individual cells became more popular was for reasons of decency; traditionally, monks and nuns would wash in their cells, using jugs of water carried there from the nearest supply. I suppose some monks or nuns may have ensuite bathrooms these days but if so, it is a recent practice. Most would wash every day in their cells, with an occasional bath or shower (another modern innovation). Clothes (excluding the habit) are changed weekly or more often, depending on the type of the clothing so the modern practice seems to be a weekly bath or shower. Again, this is holy poverty in action – using costly resources wisely and at the bare minimum required to remain healthy.
They are to hurry to the work of God at the Night Office. Medieval monasteries built special stairs from the dormitory straight into the church. Here’s the night stairs at Hexham, an unusual survival from the 13th century. They usually came down into the south transept, near to the monks’ choir (Hexham is a little different).
The excuses of the sleepy – Dom Delatte, in his Commentary, bemoans the dropping of communal dormitories because individual cells make it easy for someone to turn over and go back to sleep. The Rule is clear – rise without delay – and if you think about how we get out of bed in the morning, that’s quite an ask! I woke at 6am this morning and promptly fell asleep for another half hour. If I did that in a monastery I would be late to the Office and it would be an offence against the Rule. Getting out of bed immediately the signal is given is an ascetic practice in itself. While alarm clocks undoubtedly do this job now in many places, in traditional monasteries, one monk/nun would get up early and go round all the cells, knocking on the doors with the words “Benedicamus Domino” (Let us bless the Lord), and waiting for the response “Deo gratias” (thanks be to God) from the denizen of the bed inside. Only then, sure they had woken them, would they move on to the next door.
Very interesting. I love how deeply practical Saint Benedict is. And I think he's right the dormitory idea is probably better.