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A letter from Innocent III, pope (1204)

Sender

Innocent III, pope

Receiver

Alix/Adela of Champagne, queen of France

Translated letter:

Bishop Innocent, servant of the servants of God, to his dearest daughter in Christ, . . ., illustrious queen of the French, greetings and apostolic benediction.

The apostolic see is accustomed to grant benevolent favor to pious vows and honest prayers. Therefore, dearest daughter in Christ, considering the devotion you are known to have towards the monastery of Pontigny and the brothers who continuously serve the Lord there, we mercifully grant your pious requests, prohibiting by the authority of the presents that anyone after your death presume to put an impediment to those brothers to keep your body from being buried in that monastery as you have freely disposed. Let it therefore be permitted to no man to breach this page of our prohibition or to oppose it with bold daring. If any should presume to attempt this, he should know that he incurs the indignation of almighty God and the blessed apostles Peter and Paul.

Given at the Lateran, 8 Kalends of May, seventh year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Innocentus episcopus, servus servorum Dei, charissimae in Christo filiae .... illustri reginae Francorum, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem.

Consuevit annuere sedes apostolica piis votis, et honestis petentium precibus favorem benevolum impertiri. Eapropter, charissima in Christo filia, devotionem quam erga monasterium Pontiniaci et fratres qui jugiter Domino famulantur ibidem, habere dignosceris, attendentes, tuis piis postulationibus clementer annuimus, auctoritate praesentium inhibentes, ne quis post obitum tuum fratribus ipsis impedimentum aliquod inferre praesumat, quin corpus tuum in eorum monasterio iuxta tuam dispositionem liberam habeat sepulturam. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae inhibitionis infringere, vel ei ausu temerario contraire. Si quis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit, indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum eius se noverit incursurum.

Datum Laterani, VII Kalendas Maii, pontificatus nostri anno septimo.

Historical context:

The pope grants the queen her request to be buried in the monastery of Pontigny, given her devotion to the house and its brothers.

Printed source:

PL 217, supplementum anno 1204, ep.75 c.108-09

Date:

1204