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February 3. Lyons. Pope Innocent IV writes to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors and other faithful whom this letter will reach, relating that the church of Bethlehem, which is special in general because of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, deserves special attention in these days now that the church and its brothers have lost much of their temporal goods to the enemies of the Christian faith. Since the church and its brothers are forced to beg for help for the expenses occasioned by the reception of paupers, visitors and pilgrims, and for the necessities of the faithful, the pope orders the addressees, when the brothers of that church arrive in their places for collecting alms, to receive them kindly and treat them honourably, allowing them to admonish the people in their churches and freely seek alms, and the addressees shall not prefer their confraternities (confratrias), which they can make on any day of the year, lest the alms for the poor of Christ thereby be lost or the works of piety be impeded. Moreover, whoever supports such a holy brotherhood as a colleague and makes an annual donation will obtain an indulgence of forty days. If for the above purpose any of the brothers come to a city or castle or area under interdict, the addressees are to have the churches opened once a year, expelling excommunicates and those interdicted by name, and have the divine offices celebrated. They are also to have this constitution announced in their parishes with their own letters. If any of the clerics of their churches wish to serve the brothers of that church for a year or two, with the license of the prelate and chapter, they shall not be impeded nor shall they lose their benefices or ecclesiastical incomes in the meantime.