1759

Aug. 6. Ferentino. In response to a request from Symon montis Sinay episcopus, Pope Honorius III takes the monastery of Mt Sinai under papal protection, confirming its possessions. He specifies Mt Sinai and the monastery of St Mary at its foot; the places [loca] called Roboe, Fucra, Liiah and Raython with its palm trees and lands; in the land of Egypt houses and a casale outside the city; 10 miliaria terrae next to the Red Sea; Faran with lands and palm trees; in Alexandria the obedientia Sancti Michael and freedom [of movement] by sea or land; vineyards and olive groves in the Vallis Moysi; houses, mills, vineyards and olive groves at Mons Regalis; houses, vineyards and olive groves at Cracum Montis Regalis; a hospital [hospitale] and the obedientia Sancti Moysi, houses and an oven in the city of Jerusalem; houses and lands at Jaffa; the obedientia Sanctae Catherinae in Acre; the church of St George and houses in Damascus, and outside the city 3 virgulta; the hospitale Sancti Demetrii and 3 casalia with villani at Latakia; houses and an oven at Antioch; on the island of Cyprus houses and a [rent] of 1 libra aura from the revenues of the commercium. Honorius also lists possessions in Constantinople and on Crete. Stressing that [lay] rights to ecclesiastical benefices or cemeteries are uncanonical, he nevertheless permits those already held to remain with the bishop’s licence. He confirms the canonical election of the bishop. He allows the bishop to absolve those excomunicated or under interdicts.