# Verified against Divinum Officium (Latin Regula, English translation).
canonicalDate: "04-04"
label:
  la: "Régula Sancti Patri Nostri Benedícti. Caput 53: De hospítibus suscipiéndis"
  en: "The Rule of our Holy Father Benedict. Chapter 53: of How Guests Are to Be Received"
text:
  la: |
    Omnes superveniéntes hóspites tamquam Christus suscipiántur, quia ipse dictúrus est: Hospis fui et suscepístis me. Et ómnibus cóngruus honor exhibeátur, máxime domésticis fídei et peregrínis. Ut ergo nuntiátus fúerit hospis, occurrátur ei a prióre vel a frátribus cum omni offício caritátis; et prímitus orent páriter, et sic sibi sociétur in pace. Quod pacis ósculum non prius offerátur nisi oratióne præmíssa, propter inlusiónes diabólicas. In ipsa autem salutatióne omnis exhibeátur humílitas ómnibus veniéntibus sive discedéntibus hospítibus: inclináto cápite vel prostráto omni córpore in terra, Christus in eis adorétur qui et suscípitur. Suscépti autem hóspites ducántur ad oratiónem, et póstea sédeat cum eis prior aut cui jússerit ipse. Legátur coram hóspite Lex divína ut ædificétur, et post hæc omnis ei exhibeátur humánitas. Jejúnium a prióre frangátur propter hóspitem, nisi forte præcípuus sit dies jejúnii qui non possit violári; fratres autem consuetúdines jejuniórum prosequántur. Aquam in mánibus abbas hospítibus det; pedes hospítibus ómnibus tam abbas quam cuncta congregátio lavet; quibus lotis, hunc versum dicant: Suscépimus, Deus, misericórdiam tuam in médio templi tui. Páuperum et peregrinórum máxime susceptióni cura sollícite exhibeátur, quia in ipsis magis Christus suscípitur; nam dívitum terror ipse sibi éxigit honórem.
  en: |
    Let all guests that happen to come be received as Christ, because He is going to say: “A Guest was I and ye received Me.” And let suitable honour be shewn to them all, especially to those who are of the household of the faith and to strangers. When therefore a guest shall have been announced, let him be met by the superior or by the brethren, with all due courtesy; and let them at once betake themselves to prayer together and so let them associate together in peace, because the kiss of peace may not be offered first, but only when preceded by prayer, so as to avoid the snares of Satan: and in the salutation itself let all humility be manifest. Whenever guests arrive or depart, let Christ be adored in them—for Him indeed we receive in them—by bowing of the head or by full prostration. And when the guests have been received let them be taken to pray and then let the superior, or whomsoever he shall have appointed, sit with them. Let the divine law be read in the presence of a guest, that he may be edified; and after this let all courtesy be shewn him. For hospitality’s sake the superior may break his fast, unless by chance it be a fast-day of obligation, the which cannot be violated: but let the brethren continue to observe their custom of fasting. Let the abbot serve water for the guests’ hands; and let both the abbot and also the whole community wash all the guests’ feet: and the washing finished let them say this versicle: “We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple.” And above all let care be scrupulously shewn in receiving the poor and strangers; for in them specially is Christ received. For the fear that the rich inspire itself secures deference for them.
status:
  la: verified
  en: verified
