A letter from Innocent IV (02/08/1254)

Translated letter:

To the beloved abbess and sisters of enclosed nuns of St. Damian at Assisi. We are induced by the merits of your religion to grant you what is recognized to be suitable to your needs. So it is that we, sympathizing with paternal affection with the poverty which you endure voluntarily because of Christ, we grant you the power by the authority of the presents, that you may receive up to 500 pounds of [Provisinorum], as from usury, rapine and other things badly acquired, when those to whom restitution of their things should be made can not be found; also from whatever legacies are left to unspecified pious uses; and the redemption of vows except Jerusalem, as long as you are not otherwise covered by a grace from us of this kind for receiving similar things. So that those vowing are little bound to carry out their vows and others to restoring another thing to be done for those which they conferred on you; but to restoring the rest of what is acquired let them remain nonetheless obligated. To no one therefore, is it permitted to violate this page of our decree, or to oppose it by daring boldness; if any should, etc. Dated at the Lateran, 6th ides of February in the 11th year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Dilectis Filiis Guardiano, & Fratribus Ordinis Fratrum Minorum Sancti Francisci Assisiat. Salutem, & Apostolicam Benedictionem. Vestrae meritis Religionis inducimur, ut vos prosequamur gratia, quae vestris esse dignoscitur necessitatibus opportuna. Hinc est, quod Nos paupertati, quam propter Christum voluntarie sustinetis, paterno compatientes affectu; ut de usuris, rapinis, & aliis male acquisitis; dummodo ii, quibus ipsorum restitutio fieri debet, nequeant inveniri; nec non de, quibuslibet Legatis indistincte in pios usus relictis; redemptione votorum, Jerosolymitan. dumtaxat excepto, usque ad quingentas libras a Provisinorum recipere valeatis, vobis auctoritate praesentium concedimus facultatem; si pro similium receptione alias non sitis a Nobis hujusmodi gratiam consequuti. Ita quod voventes ad exequuitionem votorum hujusmodi, & alii ad restitutionem aliam faciendam per ea, quae vobis contulerint, minime teneantur; sed ad restituendum residuum acquisitorum remaneant nihilominus obligati. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae concessionis infringere, vel ei ausu &c. Datum Laterani VI. Idus Februarii Pontificatus Nostri Anno Undecimo.

Historical context:

The pope grants the sisters the power to accept certain kinds of gifts, as from those who would make up for practicing usury or breaking vows, by charitable gifts to them. The text is the letter to "beloved sons Guardiano and the brothers minor of the order of St. Francis of Assisi," ep.515. The edition notes that a letter "in the same mode" was written to Clare and the nuns on the same day, making the same concessions to them, but since it is dated six months after Clare's death, it must be to her successor.

Printed source:

Bullarium Franciscanum Romanorum Pontificum, ed. J. H. Sbaralea, 1 (Rome: Sacrae Congregationis de Propaganda Fide, 1759, repr. Santa Maria degli Angeli: Proziuncola, 1983), 701-02, ep.515.

Date:

02/08/1254