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What rules did the early Friars Minor follow?
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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 early Friars Minor, founded by St. Francis of Assisi, followed a lifestyle centered on the imitation of Jesus Christ and the literal practice of the Gospel.12
Their rule evolved through three primary stages:
- Primitive Rule (Regula primitiva): Composed in 1209, this simple rule was drawn from biblical passages and focused on following Christ's teachings and footsteps. It mandated a life of total poverty, where friars owned no possessions—either individually or communally—and were forbidden from accepting money as payment or alms.12
- First Rule (Regula non bullata): As the order grew, Francis drafted this more detailed version to reassert devotion to poverty and the apostolic life, though it never received official papal sanction.1
- Final Rule (Regula bullata): Approved by Pope Honorius III in 1223, this official rule enjoined the friars to live in obedience, chastity, and without personal property. It also established formal regulations for discipline, preaching, and the process for entering the order.12
Throughout their early history, the friars acted as itinerant street preachers who supported themselves through manual labor and begging, while dedicating their lives to prayer, penance, and helping the poor and sick.12