What promises did the approved Franciscan rule require of friars?

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Bonaventura Berlinghieri: St. Francis and Scenes from His Life — St. Francis of Assisi *St. Francis and Scenes from His Life*, tempera on panel by Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1235; in the Church of San Francesco, Pescia, Italy.

The approved Franciscan rule, known as the Regula bullata and sanctioned by Pope Honorius III in 1223, required friars to make three fundamental promises. According to the official rule, the friars were enjoined to:

Observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.1
Live in obedience.1
Live without anything of their own and in chastity.1

This rule established the essential lifestyle for members of the order, emphasizing a commitment to absolute personal and corporate poverty, which St. Francis considered a total denial of self. While earlier versions of the rule existed, the 1223 document served as the official guide for the order, outlining regulations for discipline, preaching, and entry into the Franciscan life.12