GRIMLAICUS. - Author of the first Rule for "recluses," of the 9th century. Nothing is known of his life. An examination of the Rule — the only writing of his that survives — would suggest that he was a priest and a "recluse" in the diocese of Metz.

The Regula solitariorum, intended for voluntary "recluses" or "prisoners" ("carcer retrusionis" is what their "cell" is called in ch. 14, described in ch. 16), is, rather than a series of prescriptions, a spiritual guide for the recluse, including the priest-recluse. The author, who draws on many sources, especially the Rule of St. Benedict, reveals himself to be learned, pious and discreet; he treats of detachment from the world and of contemplation; for spiritual progress he strongly recommends study (ch. 20: PL 103, 599). Published by Luc d'Achery (Regula solitaria, Paris 1653), it was included in the Codex Regularum of Luc Holste (Rome 1661; Paris 1663), whence it passed into PL 103, 573-664.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: PP. Maurini, Histoire littéraire de la France, V, Paris 1790, pp. 685-87; Hutter, I, col. 864 ff.; P. Pourrat, La spiritualité chrétienne, I, Paris 1926, pp. 409-11; L. Gougaud, Ermites et reclusi : études sur d'anciennes formes de vie religieuse, Abbaye St-Martin-de-Ligugé (Vienne) 1928, pp. 62-63 and passim (cf. id., in Rev. d'hist. eccl., 12 [1911], pp. 587-88).

Igino Cecchetti

@incollection{ec6_grimlaico_grimlaicus, author = {Cecchetti, Igino}, title = {Grimlaico (Grimlaicus)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {1169}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/grimlaico-grimlaicus} }

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