2752

December 21. Lyons. Pope Innocent IV writes to the archdeacon of Antioch, relating that the devotion of the doge, council, and commune of the Venetians toward the Roman Church renders it so favourable and kind to them that the Church not only wishes that their rights and those of the church of Saint Mark (Marcus) of the Venetians and other churches belonging to it everywhere do not diminish, but it proposes to preserve them intact and to increase them. Since, as the pope has learned, the church of Saint Mark (Marcus) [of the Venetians] suffers harm and harassment at the hands of several people over its churches of Saint Mark of Tyre (Marcus Tyrensis) and Saint Mark of Acre (Marcus Acconensis), which pertain immediately to the Apostolic See but not in their tithes, patriarchal rights, and other appurtenances, the pope wishes to provide a remedy and orders the addressee not to allow the church [of Saint Mark (Marcus) of the Venetians] to be unduly molested by anyone over the aforesaid churches, forcing such molesters with ecclesiastical censure, appeal put aside, various obstacles notwithstanding. Valid for ten years.