SUMMARY: - This article, of a historical-juridical character, intends to shed light on many in­ferences about the aim and the institutional obligatoriness of the novitiate in the Order of Friars Minor. The author demonstrates that the common opinion, according to which the no­vitiate had been imposed on the Order of Friars Minor by Honorius III with the Decree (pri­vilege) « Cum secundum consilium » of the 22nd Semptember 1220, does not correspond to the truth. The author demonstrates also that the common opinion, which states that Innocent IV had imposed the novitiate « ad validitatem professionis » (true and proper profession) on the Order of Friars Minor and the Order of Preachers with the Decree « Non solum » of the 17th June 1244, does not correspond to the truth. Finally, the author demonstrates that the derogatory clause to the truth. Finally, the author demonstrates that the derogatory clause to the prescription of the franciscan Rule, which obliges the ministers to grant to novices the clo­thes of probation « if at times it would not appear to be contrary according to God », does not refer at all to the specification of the clothes of probation, but it refers rather to the pos­sibility of renouncing to the obligation of the novitiate (by mutual agreement with the novi­ces). The article aims to offer a contribution towards the right exegesis of every expression of the Franciscan Rule, an exegesis to which all Friars Minor are entitled.