1905

Jan. 5. Lateran. Pope Honorius III writes to the archbishop of Nicosia and the bishops of Paphos and Limassol. Following the visit of Bishop C. of Famagusta [C. Amochostanus episcopus] to Rome to inform the pope of conditions in Cyprus and obtain confirmation of the convention between the Cypriot church and Queen Alice of Cyprus [Oct. 1-31 1220], the pope reports that he has confirmed the agreement. Alice has asked that those Greeks who are not obedient to the Roman church should be allowed to remain in residence. The pope replies that he wishes to favour Greeks who obey the apostolic see and to allow them to retain their customs and rites, but because it would be monstrous and against the constitutions of the general council for a diocese to have several bishops, he has ordered the patriarch of Jerusalem and the archbishops of Tyre and Caesarea to remove these [Greek] bishops, enjoining Greek abbots, priests and deacons in the kingdom of Cyprus to obey the [Latin] bishop established in their diocese. The queen should assist them. Otherwise over time the kingdom might be lost to the Roman church and even to Latin rule. He adds that he is detaining the bishop of Famagusta on business in Rome until 14 September. The diocese should be cared for in the bishop’s absence.