2606

October 5. Lyons. Pope Innocent IV writes to the archbishop of Tyre, relating that, when the bishop of Tiberias once proposed before him that his church was left desolate by the tyranny of the Saracens, the pope sent a letter to the patriarch of Jerusalem and papal legate (Robert de Nantes), ordering him to provide the bishop with a cathedral church of his patriarchate, if one was vacant or as soon as he could. The patriarch assigned his role in this business to the bishop of Lydda, who conferred the bishopric of Sidon on the bishop of Tiberias. But seeing that the patriarch could hardly assign his role to the bishop of Lydda de iure, the chapter of Sidon unanimously and harmoniously elected as bishop Archdeacon Peter of Sidon, who related this to the pope in his presence. Seeing that the patriarch was unable to confer the provision on another de iure, the pope declares null and void what the bishop of Lydda attempted for the bishop of Tiberias and confirms as canonical the election of the archdeacon. The pope orders the addressee to receive and treat kindly as bishop of Sidon the archdeacon, who is proceeding to the church of Sidon, to consecrate him as bishop in his capacity as metropolitan, and to have due obedience and reverence shown to the bishop by the latter’s subjects.