L’elezione dell’abate nella Regola di san Benedetto da Norcia (cap. LXIV) e la legislazione novellare giustinianea: una possibile connessione?

The election of the abbot in the Rule of saint Benedict of Norcia (chapter LXIV) and Justinian’s Novels: a possible connection? ABSTRACT: Chapter LXIV of the Rule of st. Benedict stresses that the abbot should be elected unanimously or, if not possible, by a minority (sanior pars) of the monastic community rather than by a numerical majority. This study aims to demonstrate that this electoral procedure may derive from a 546 Justinian Novella. This is confirmed by a comparative reading of the texts and of the opinion on this point expressed in the modern age by the humanist jurist Antoine Le Conte (Contius). This allows us to affirm that the Rule could have been issued by Benedict after 546.