Rule of St Benedict for the day

The juniors, therefore, shall honour their seniors, and the seniors love their juniors. In addressing one another, let them never use the bare name; but let a senior call his junior ‘Brother’, and a junior call his senior ‘Nonnus’, which signifies ‘Reverend Father’. But let the abbot, since he is believed to hold the place of Christ, be called Lord and Abbot, not for any pretensions of his own, but for honour and love of Christ. Let the abbot himself be mindful of this, and behave so that he may be worthy of such honour. Wherever the brethren meet one another, let the junior brother ask the senior for his blessing. When a senior passes by, let a junior rise and make room for him to seat himself; nor let the junior presume to sit down, unless his senior bid him, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled: With honour preventing one another.¹ Boys and youths shall keep strictly to their order in the oratory and at table. But abroad and everywhere let them have supervision and discipline, until they come to the age of discretion.