Election of Stephen Harding as Abbot of Cîteaux
The monks of Cîteaux Abbey are gathered in the chapter house to elect Stephen Harding as their new abbot. The moment is charged with spiritual weight as they deliberate and cast their votes, knowing t
Setting
The chapter house of Cîteaux Abbey, a simple yet solemn space where the monks gather for important decisions. The room is rectangular with high, narrow windows allowing morning light to filter in. The stone walls are unadorned, reflecting the Cistercian values of austerity.
Characters
Stephen Harding
primary
A man in his late forties with a lean, ascetic build, his face marked by deep lines of contemplation and a prematurely greying beard. His piercing blue eyes reflect both wisdom and humility, with a gaze that seems to look through worldly matters to spiritual truths. His hands are calloused from manual labor yet delicate in their movements.
Senior Monk
secondary
A gaunt man in his late sixties, with deep-set eyes shadowed by age and prayer, and a closely-cropped tonsure of white hair. His hands are gnarled from years of manual labor and often folded in prayer, with prominent veins tracing their backs.
Young Monk
secondary
A novice monk in his late teens or early twenties, with a slender build and a clean-shaven face. His short brown hair is neatly tonsured in the traditional Cistercian style. His hands, though youthful, show the beginnings of calluses from manual labor.
Scribe
background
A middle-aged monk with a slender build, his hands stained with ink from years of meticulous writing. His face is lean, with deep-set eyes that peer intently at his work, framed by a closely cropped tonsure. His posture is slightly hunched from long hours spent bent over manuscripts.
Dialog
Senior Monk
Brother Stephen, by the grace of God and the will of our brethren, you are called to shepherd this flock...
Stephen Harding
As the psalmist says, 'Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum...' Yet if this burden is mine to bear, I shall till this vineyard as the Rule demands.
Senior Monk
The young vines need careful tending...
Stephen Harding
They shall drink from pure springs, brother. No dilution of our holy founder's vision while God grants me breath.
Senior Monk
Sic transit gloria mundi... but may your labors bear fruit for generations.