2019

Jan. 12. Rieti. Pope Honorius III confirms his privilege to the episcopus et fratres Montis Synay [Aug. 6 1217] with some additions and changes. He takes the monastery of Mt Sinai under papal protection, confirming the Rule of St Basil and its possessions. He specifies Mt Sinai and the monastery of St Mary at its foot; the places [loca] called Raboe, Fucra, Liiah, Raython with its palm trees and lands; in the city of Egyptum houses and a casale outside the city; 10 miliaria terrae next to the Red Sea; Faram with lands and palm trees; in Alexandria the obedientia Sancti Michaelis 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 Caterine 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 with lands, woods, pastures and mills. Honorius also lists possessions in Constantinople and on Crete. He adds freedom from the payment of tithes on lands held before the Fourth Lateran Council and on noval lands, cultivated by the monks and for animal fodder. Episcopal elections should be free. He allows the bishop to absolve those excomunicated or under interdicts. He emphasises that [lay] rights to ecclesiastical benefices or cemeteries are uncanonical. He forbids criminal acts within enclosed precincts and freedom from secular exactions.