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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 480

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BERAT. The laut BevaU or Charter, issued by the Sublime Porta to an Archbisliop of CypruR, the last, ΛΥΟ may believe, wliieli will ever be iiumed. is a document of some historical interest We translata from tlie Remalo version given on pp. 136—143 of tlie Kiòfacts Ιστορικοί of Philippos Georgien, 8vo, Athens, 1874, modifying or explaining Itero and there a word or phrase by tlie light of a more summary English translation made directly from tlie Turkish original. The beginning of the month Shawwal, Anno Hegirre 1283, would fall between February 17 and 26, Anno Domini 1866, the fifth year of tho reign of Sultan Abdul Aziz. Archbishop Sophronios cued at Nicosia on Tuesday, May 23,1900, ret. 75. He was a native of Filini, in tlie district of Limasol. A copy (Romaic) of a Berat granted 8 iîejeb, 1251 (Oct. 30,1835), to a Patriarch of Constantinople, will be found iu pp. 258—272 of vol. i. of the Memoir* of the Patriarch Gregory Γ., by G. G. Pappa-dopouloB, 8vo, Athens, 1865, and another in Όβομανικοί Koiducer, vol. in. 2739—dated October, 1860. The first such Berat was given in 1750 to the Patriarch Samuel Hanjeri. The imperial sanction had been previously conveyed by a firman. IMPERIAL BEKAT ISRUEH TO HIS BEATITUDE SOPHKOXIOS, AHCHBISROP OP CVPRUS, AFTER IIIS PBOCLAMATIOX IK 1865. Seeing that, iu consequence of the news of the death of the monk Macarios, Archbisliop of tlie island of Cyprus, &c, which was recently annonuced, it was necessary that another should be chosen iu his room, and as, by the common voice and assent, there has been elected the bearer of this onr imperial Berat (may tlie strength of this Christian Primate be stablislied !) the mouk Sophronios (may his dignity be prolonged !) WE, liaving received news of this by a memorial (Mahzar) signed by all the deputies appointed to this end by tlie rayahs of Cyprus, who have humbly tendered their report, as well as by notice received in a resolution (Mazhaia) of the common council of tlie said island, after the archives had been searched, and it wan found that there really stood recorded a grant of the Archbishopric of the island to the aforenamed monk deceased, and liaving obtained the necessary assurance and report that the customary douceur of one hundred thousand aspers has been paid in cash to the proper office, as it was agreed, and was laid down in the original firman, AVE give this our imperial Berat, and WE command L That tuie said monk Sophronios do take up the said Archbishopric of Cyprus, &c. according to the custom existing ah antiquo. II. That the several metropolitans, bishops, abbots, priests, nuns, and other Christians who are under his jurisdiction, according to the custom prevailing ah antiquo, and the duty imposed upon them by their religion, do acknowledge him as Archbishop, and do not show themselves repreheusibly negligent in offering their dutiful obedience. III. That he be obstructed by nonesoever in the duties of his Archbishopric, and that no one encroach on the same, or molest him. IV. That no one, without onr exalted command, snatch from his hands the churches and monasteries which have been ab antiqui» in the possession of the Archbishops. V. That no one interfere in their repair, when this is carried out on tho old lines, with the sanction of tho courts, and under our exalted firman. 470 EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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