Holy Rule of Saint Benedict

Saint Benedict is thought to have drafted his Rule soon after his move to establish the monastery at Monte Cassino. The writing of the text might have been occasioned by his departure from the monks that he left behind in the monastic communities he founded at Subiaco. Conversely, perhaps Benedict wrote the Rule for the monks at Monte Cassino to correct for their experiences at Subiaco. In either case, Benedict explicitly styles the Rule for his monastery at Monte Cassino as a Rule for beginners. As such, it touches upon the very central themes of monastic life in the West and covers all the necessary details for leading a community of men to holiness.