The following documents are drawn from the Bullarium Romanum (Taurinensis edition, Vol. IV), which covers the pontificates of Gregory X through Martin V. Each document below touches directly on the Church’s discipline regarding the Jews, whether in their relations with Christians, their civic status, or the protection and conditions attached to their presence in Christian lands. Translations are made from the Latin originals as preserved in the Vatican Archives and printed in the Bullarium.
Pope Nicholas III — On Preaching to the Jews for Their Conversion (1278 AD)
The vineyard of Sorek, as if chosen, was planted by the right hand of God the Father, and every seed of truth was sown in it; angelic guardianship was set about it, and harmful stones were cast out of it. This people, oppressed in Egypt in mud and brick under the yoke of Pharaoh, was led out through signs and wonders, and, with God as the guide of their journey, was brought into the land of promise. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His beloved plant. Although this people was so wondrously led, God, like one still breaking up new ground with the ploughshare of the Law, furrowed it with prophetic teaching, so as to prepare it for mature fruit — that is, for the grace of regeneration.
But alas! overgrown with the thorns of sin, receiving no shower of spiritual grace, this people which was expected to bring forth grapes brought forth wild grapes. From it was expected justice, but instead came iniquity; from it righteousness, but instead came a cry. This is the vineyard in which the fig tree, that is, the synagogue of the Jews, was planted — as the evangelical truth describes it. Its planter is Christ; the apostolic company is its cultivator. Expected for a threefold time, as if for three years, to produce fruit, it was found barren and was foretold to be cut down. For neither in the time of circumcision was it brought to perfection, because it sought not circumcision of the soul; nor was it sanctified by the Law, for through it the Jews pursued only carnal things; nor, finally, was it justified by the grace of the Gospel, for it refused to receive grace, and instead unjustly put to death the bearer of grace, and, surpassing even the stubbornness of Pharaoh, refused every remedy of the one who cared for it — so that it was softened neither by words, nor by signs, nor by sacraments, nor even by the bodily presence of Christ and God Himself.
We, however, though unworthy, holding His place on earth — He who does not cast away even Jewish perfidy from His mercy — willingly take upon ourselves labors on behalf of the blindness of that people, so that, with divine clemency accompanying our effort, they may be drawn from their darkness and, knowing the light of truth which is Christ, may be freed from their shadows. And since the dispersion of the Jews, scattered as by divine judgment through almost the whole world, does not permit them to assemble conveniently in one place to receive the sacraments of the faith and Christian teaching, necessity compels us, willingly making it our own, to choose in various parts of the world various sowers through whom we may scatter the seed of God’s word to individuals, whose salvation we desire both universally and singularly.
Turning therefore the eyes of our mind toward you with hope of divine grace — since the glory of your Order shines and is believed to be fruitful everywhere through useful works and praiseworthy example, and we trust and are confident that through the grace divinely given to you, you know and are able to bring forth abundant fruit in the house of the Lord — we command your discretion by apostolic writings that, trusting in Him to whom it belongs to bestow spiritual graces, you gather together those blinded by the shadows of such darkness in the province committed to you, and through yourself and other brothers of your Order whom you shall recognize as fit by proven uprightness of morals, knowledge, virtues of probity, provident circumspection, and tested experience — whose industry and teaching, enriched by divine gifts from the Lord, may shine forth intrepidly on behalf of the Catholic faith and by its clarity not waver, but clarify darkened minds by the repercussion of its rays, and repress the obstinate necks of the perverse — calling together the Jews themselves in the lands and places where they dwell, both generally and individually, once and many times, and again as often as you shall judge it may profit, and instructing them by preachings, wholesome admonitions, and discreet inductions and evangelical teachings as best it may be done, strive according to the grace given you by the Lord, the clouds of darkness being put to flight, to lead them back to the way of clarity, so that, reborn from the font of baptism, they may shine in the light of the face of Christ, and thereby the angelic choir may rejoice.
And that they may perceive through effect the affection which Mother Church bears toward the salvation of their estate, you shall commend those of them whom divine grace shall have led to the reception of holy baptism most affectionately on our behalf to the prelates and lords of the places in which such persons happen to dwell, that they, giving thanks to God for the recovery of the lost sheep and the return of the prodigal son, may cherish them with charity, fortify them with favors, treat them kindly, and not permit them to be unduly molested in their persons or goods by Jews or others, but rather assist them in all things with fitting and opportune aid.
But if perchance (which God forbid) any of them, persisting in their obstinate perfidy and stopping up their unbelieving ears like the deaf asp so that they flee the wholesome calls of yourself and those brothers you shall depute to this work, and spurn to come out of darkness into light — of such persons (if you find any), who they are, in what places, and under whose dominion they dwell, do not fail to write back to us, so that we may think over a salutary remedy concerning such stubborn ones as shall seem expedient. That our eager desires in these matters may be satisfied according to our wishes, strive frequently to let us know how the business committed to you prospers, and what fruit the seed that has been sown promises to return.
Given at Viterbo, on the 4th day before the Nones of August, in the first year of our pontificate.
Dated August 4, 1278; pontificate year 1.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, p. 46. Pope Nicholas III, Vineam Sorec (De praedicatione verbi Dei pro conversione Hebraeorum). Translated from the Latin.
Pope Nicholas IV — On Christians Who Judaize and Jews Who Proselytize (1288 AD)
We have heard with troubled heart and relate that not only have certain persons, converted from the error of Jewish blindness to the light of the Christian faith, been found to have turned back to their former perfidy, but that very many Christians, rejecting the truth of the Catholic faith, have damnably transferred themselves to the Jewish rite — a thing that is the more reprehensible and known to be the more wicked, the more safely through it the most holy name of Christ is blasphemed, as it were by a domestic hostility.
Since it is fitting to oppose this damnable pestilence with appropriate and prompt remedies, we command your whole body by apostolic writings: within the terms assigned to you by authority of the Apostolic See for inquiring against heretics, diligently and carefully examining the truth regarding the foregoing — through Christians as well as through Jews — proceed against all whom you shall find to have hitherto committed such things, or to be committing them in the future, as against heretics, and likewise against their supporters, receivers, and defenders, just as against heretics.
Moreover, punish with due penalty those Jews who shall have induced, or whom you shall find hereafter inducing, Christians of either sex to their execrable rite; restraining contradictors by ecclesiastical censure, with appeal set aside; invoking for this purpose, if need be, the aid of the secular arm.
Given at Rieti, on the Nones of September, in the first year of our pontificate.
Dated September 5, 1288; pontificate year 1.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, p. 88. Pope Nicholas IV, Turbato corde. Translated from the Latin.
Nicholas IV, no. 23170 — Nicholas IV commands bishops to take action against apostates who return to Judaism and against Jews who help them (year 2 = 1289 AD)
To the archbishops and bishops of the provinces of Aix, Arles, and Embrun he commands that they take vigorous action against apostates “who put on the corrupt tunic of Jewish blindness,” and that they liberally extend favor and aid to Jews [who report such apostates]. January 28, year 2°.
Translation: Nicholas IV addresses the bishops of the three great Provençal ecclesiastical provinces (Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Embrun — all bordering the Comtat Venaissin, significantly). He commands them to proceed energetically against Christian apostates who revert to Judaism — described in the vivid phrase as those who “put on the corrupt tunic of Jewish blindness” — while also urging the bishops to extend favor and assistance to Jews who cooperate in denouncing such apostates. The combination of anti-apostate enforcement with inducements to Jewish informers reflects standard late-13th century inquisitorial strategy in southern France.
Source. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum – Translated by Claude.AI. Nicholas IV, Letters. Potthast, August, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, Vol 1. 1957.
Boniface VIII, no. 24139 — Petitio dilecti filii — Boniface VIII grants permission to build a chapel on the site of a Parisian Host desecration by Jews (year 1 = 1295 AD)
To the Bishop of Paris he commands that he grant Rainier the Fleming, a citizen of Paris, permission to build a chapel in that place where certain Jews, stabbing a found Eucharist with a knife, cast it into a cauldron of boiling water set over a fire. July 17, year 1°. — “Petitio dilecti filii.”
Translation: A citizen of Paris named Rainier the Fleming has petitioned the Pope for permission to erect a chapel on the site of an alleged Host desecration by Jews. The story as summarized here: some Jews found a consecrated Host, stabbed it with a knife, and threw it into a pot of boiling water on a fire. Boniface VIII commands the Bishop of Paris to grant the building license. This is the documented origin of the Carmelite chapel later known as the Billettes in Paris, one of the most famous sites associated with the medieval Host desecration narrative. The entry cites the Bullarium Carmelitarum but not the Bullarium Romanum, so it was not included in our translations.
Source. Regesta Pontificum Romanorum – Translated by Claude.AI. Boniface VIII, Letters. Potthast, August, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, Vol 1. 1957.
Pope John XXII — Against Jewish Converts Who Apostatize and Take Refuge in Churches (1317 AD)
It has lately been set forth before us on your behalf that certain persons guilty or suspect of heretical wickedness, or accused of it, and likewise converts from Jewish blindness to the Catholic faith, who have subsequently apostatized from that faith, take refuge in churches — not for the remedy of salvation, but to escape your hands and to avoid the punishment of their crimes. You have humbly implored the guidance of the Apostolic See regarding this matter.
We, therefore, intent with earnest zeal upon uprooting the enemies of the orthodox faith and pulling out so noxious and pestilential a weed from the garden of the Lord by the roots — following the example of our predecessor, Martin IV of happy memory, who issued the same mandate by apostolic letters to the inquisitors of heretical wickedness constituted throughout the kingdom of France — command your discretion by apostolic writings: that against those whom it shall be established before you are culpably guilty of such heretical wickedness, or notably suspect of it, even those accused of that infection, as well as converted Jews who have afterwards openly or by probable indications apostatized from the faith, you freely carry out the duty of your office according to the quality of the offense, as if they had not taken refuge in churches or such places at all; restraining contradictors by ecclesiastical censure, with appeal set aside.
And so that no obstacle may be placed in your way in this matter, we enjoin by these letters upon our venerable brothers, the archbishops and bishops constituted throughout the kingdom of France, that they do not impede you from freely fulfilling this our mandate, but rather, at your request, assist you in these things as occasion shall require.
Given at Avignon, on the Ides of August, in the first year of our pontificate.
Dated August 13, 1317; pontificate year 1.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, p. 201. Pope John XXII (XXI), constitution against apostatizing converts. Translated from the Latin.
Pope John XXII — Protecting the Property of Jews Who Convert to Christianity (1320 AD)
Since it is absurd, contrary to law, and opposed to reason to deprive Jews, whom the Lord’s inspiration has moved to convert to the Christian faith, of the goods they had previously possessed on account of that very conversion, and to expose to beggary those who, while abiding in Jewish perfidy, had enjoyed abundance — we strictly command and enjoin all officials and each individual of the county of Venaissin, which is known to belong fully by right to the Apostolic See, and of the other counties and lands pertaining to the same See, that they do not disturb or impede those already converted and those to be converted in the future in their possession of those properties and other goods, by whatever name they may be designated, which they held at the time of their conversion in the said lands and counties on account of the said conversion; nor permit them to be molested by others; but showing themselves favorable to them, protect and defend them from injuries and acts of violence.
Given at Avignon, on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of July, in the fourth year of our pontificate.
Dated June 19, 1320; pontificate year 4.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, p. 304. Pope John XXII, constitution protecting property of converts. Translated from the Latin.
Pope Urban V — Sicut Judaeis: On the Protection of Jews from Forced Baptism and Violence (1365 AD)
Just as license ought not to be granted to Jews to presume beyond what is permitted them by law in their synagogues, so in those things that have been conceded to them they ought not to suffer prejudice.
Although, therefore, the aforesaid Jews wish rather to persist in their hardness than to come to a knowledge of the prophets’ words and the mysteries of their own scriptures, and to arrive at a knowledge of the Christian faith and salvation; because nonetheless they appeal to the clemency of Christian piety, we, following in the footsteps of Calixtus, Eugene, Alexander, Celestine, Innocent, Gregory, Nicholas, Honorius, Nicholas IV, and Clement VI, Roman Pontiffs our predecessors of happy memory, admit their petition and decree: that no Christian shall compel the same Jews, unwilling or unwishing, to come to baptism by violence. But if any of them shall of their own accord flee for the sake of faith to Christians, once their will has been made manifest, let them be made Christians without any calumny. For he who is known to have come to Christian baptism not spontaneously but unwillingly is not believed to possess the true faith of Christianity.
Let no Christian presume also to wound or kill any of the same Jewish persons, or to take their money from them, without the judgment of the lord of the region, city, or land in which they dwell, nor to disturb them with clubs or stones or otherwise, nor let anyone exact compulsory services from them, except those they were accustomed to render and perform in times past.
Furthermore, opposing the wickedness and avarice of evil men, we decree that no one shall dare to mutilate or diminish a Jewish cemetery, nor to exhume bodies already buried, on any pretext.
If anyone, however, once the tenor of this decree is known, shall presume rashly to go against it — which God forbid — let him suffer peril of his honor and office, or be punished by the vengeance of excommunication, unless he correct his presumption by making worthy satisfaction. We wish, however, that only those Jews be fortified by this kind of protection who shall have presumed nothing in subversion of the said faith.
Given at Avignon, on the Nones of June, in the third year of our pontificate.
Dated June 7, 1365; pontificate year 3.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, p. 323. Pope Urban V, Sicut Judaeis. Translated from the Latin.
Pope Martin V — On Requiring Jews to Wear a Distinguishing Sign, and Prohibiting the Sale of Christians to Infidels (1425 AD)
The Apostolic See, ever opening the bosom of its piety and clemency to the Jews, so that it may draw them back to grace if they are willing to acknowledge the way of truth, is the more gravely and indignantly moved against those among them who are not afraid to offend the religion they profess, in proportion as it is known to sustain them more benevolently and favorably in the lands of Christians, under hope of their conversion.
Indeed it has lately come to our ears through trustworthy reports, not without great disturbance of our mind, that certain Jews of either sex who dwell in the cities, lands, and places of Caffa, Cannes, and other ultramarine parts subject to the dominion of Christians, not content with their obstinacy, under cover of fraud and malice — as though no special distinguishing sign in their dress whereby they could be recognized as Jews had been imposed on them — carry on as though this were nothing, and by not wearing such a sign, display themselves before very many Christians of either sex in the said cities, lands, and places, who do not recognize them, as Christians, and do not hesitate by their reckless daring to commit many and various enormities and detestable crimes. Among other things — which is horrible even to hear — they purchase as many as they can of the persons of either sex among the Zichians, Russians, Alans, Mingrelians, and Anogusians, who are baptized under profession of the Christian name according to the Greek rite, and having purchased them, they cruelly sell them to Saracens and other infidels, the perpetual and most savage enemies of the same Christian name, even for ten times the price at which they bought them, making of them a most exacting trade, sometimes bodily transporting these persons to the lands of those same Saracens and infidels on that account — from which it follows that the Saracens and infidels themselves compel those persons thus sold to them to deny the Catholic faith, and abuse them even by the enormous and nefarious sin of sodomy, to the miserable ruin and perdition of their eternal souls, the opprobrium of the Christian religion, and the scandal of very many of the faithful.
Wherefore, intending to provide wholesomely — as it is our duty — against the insolences of the aforesaid Jews who perpetrate the foregoing, and to resist their frauds and wickednesses, we establish and ordain by apostolic authority, by the tenor of these presents, that henceforth in perpetuity each of the said Jews of either sex shall wear in their clothing some special and evident distinguishing sign, to be prescribed and imposed on them by their local ordinaries by virtue of these presents, so that they may be distinguished from the Christian faithful; so that in the eyes of all, if male he shall evidently appear as a Jew, and if female as a Jewess. And they shall never go about without it, nor shall any of them dare, by themselves or through another, for themselves or for another, publicly or secretly, for any reason or cause whatsoever, to sell, give, hand over, lend, donate, alienate, or otherwise transfer any of the aforesaid persons to the said Saracens or infidels, or in any manner to furnish aid or favor to those infidels to the detriment of Christians.
Any of the said Jews who neglects to wear such a distinguishing sign prescribed or imposed on them shall incur by that very fact the penalties and sentences inflicted against Jews dwelling in cities, lands, and places immediately subject to us and the Roman Church, who fail to wear the sign prescribed or imposed on them, and shall be punished by those penalties. And any of them who shall presume to come against this our constitution and ordinance — either in the selling of persons or otherwise in the furnishing of such aid or favor to infidels — shall entirely lose all their goods and property, wherever they may be and of whatever weight, number, and measure they may consist; these goods being converted to the redemption of the said sold person or persons, if redemption be possible, otherwise to the fabric, repair, and upkeep of churches, hospitals, and other pious places, or to the defense of the aforesaid faith against its enemies, or to the fortification and benefit of the city, land, or place of which the transgressor shall have been an inhabitant or resident. The same transgressor shall furthermore be expelled from that city, land, or place, and shall remain in perpetual banishment from it, nor shall he be permitted to dwell in any other city, land, or place of Christians. If he can be seized, let him be punished and chastised as is just, in accordance with the canonical sanctions.
We moreover admonish and exhort in the Lord our venerable brothers the Bishops of Caffa and Cannes, and the other ordinaries of the aforesaid places, as well as our beloved sons the venerable men, the governors, consuls, podestas, captains, rectors, officials, communities, and universities of the said cities, lands, and places — and by apostolic writings we nonetheless mandate all and each of them — to publish solemnly in those same cities, lands, and places, by our authority, all and each of the foregoing, and to cause it to be published by others, so that no Jew of the aforesaid may henceforth be able to plead or allege ignorance of the foregoing; and also to prescribe to the Jews themselves the said sign to be worn by them, as aforesaid; and to cause this our constitution and ordinance to be inviolably observed; and to study, when necessary, by themselves or through others, to commit it to due execution in all and all respects. Let them restrain all contradictors and rebels — the bishops and ordinaries by ecclesiastical censure, if there be place for it; and the governors and other seculars aforesaid by temporal constraint, as is fitting — with appeal set aside, and diligently and effectively execute in favor of the Catholic faith the provisions contained in these letters.
Given at Rome, at the Holy Apostles, on the third day before the Nones of June, in the eighth year of our pontificate.
Dated June 3, 1425; pontificate year 8.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, pp. 718–720. Pope Martin V, Sedes Apostolica. Translated from the Latin.
Pope Martin V — On Excommunicating Those Who Sell Christians to Infidels (1425 AD)
It is particularly our duty to discharge the obligation of pastoral solicitude in this respect: that we meet with salutary remedy those things which arise to the offense of the Christian religion, and the more zealously and diligently as they are committed in more remote parts, where it is more difficult for us to apply a remedy to them.
Indeed, the lamentable complaint of many has lately troubled our hearing: that certain sons of iniquity, reborn at the font of baptism, despising the Christian name and unmindful of their own salvation, who dwell for a time in the ultramontane parts — especially in the cities of Caffa and Cannes and the other places neighboring those — purchase as many persons as they can of the Zichians, Russians, Alans, Mingrelians, and Anogusians and others baptized under the name of Christ, as described in the preceding Constitution.
Wherefore, intending in no way to tolerate such grave and detestable excesses but rather to resist them effectively — as is our duty — and following in the footsteps of Nicholas IV of happy memory and of certain other Roman Pontiffs, our predecessors, who decreed that all who carry arms, horses, iron, timber, provisions, or any other merchandise whatsoever to infidels shall incur certain penalties and sentences, we establish, will, and ordain by apostolic authority, by the tenor of these presents, that no one shall dare — by himself or through another, for himself or for another, publicly or secretly, for any reason or cause whatsoever — to sell, give, hand over, lend, donate, or alienate any person or persons of the Zichians, Russians, Alans, Mingrelians, and Anogusians or others baptized under the name of Christ, to the aforesaid Saracens or infidels, nor in any other manner to furnish aid or favor to those infidels to the detriment of Christians.
We decree that any person whatsoever who shall presume with reckless daring to come against this our constitution, will, and ordinance shall be subject to the sentence of excommunication; from which sentence the said transgressor, unless he shall have paid in full and with effect — to be converted entirely to the redemption of the said sold persons, if redemption be possible, otherwise to the fabric, repair, and upkeep of churches, hospitals, and other pious places dedicated in the name of Jesus Christ, or to the defense of the aforesaid faith against its enemies — as much as the loss and damage he has thereby inflicted upon those sold persons amount to, or except when constituted in the article of death, cannot be absolved without our mandate or that of the Apostolic See’s special commission; and he shall be incapable of prosecuting anything by him hereafter.
We admonish and exhort in the Lord our venerable brothers, the archbishops and bishops, as well as our beloved sons, the noble men — the dukes, marquises, counts, governors, consuls, podestas, captains, rectors, officials, communities, and universities of whatsoever cities, lands, and places that are held by Christians in the said ultramontane parts — and none the less we enjoin upon all and each of them, that the archbishops and bishops publish all and each of the foregoing in their cities and in each place of their dioceses before the people, and cause it to be solemnly published by others, and command and procure that it be inviolably observed by all dukes, marquises, counts, governors, consuls, podestas, captains, rectors, officials, communities, and universities aforesaid, and by singular persons of the same cities, lands, and places, by our authority. We moreover strictly forbid all the faithful in Christ not to presume to attempt anything against the foregoing; and if they should knowingly act otherwise, let them know themselves to be bound by the said penalties and sentences, conditions, and commands according to the same constitution.
Given at Rome, at the Holy Apostles, on the third day before the Nones of June, in the eighth year of our pontificate.
Dated June 3, 1425; pontificate year 8.
Source. Bullarium Romanum, Taurinensis Edition, Vol. IV, pp. 720–721. Pope Martin V, Pastoralis sollicitudinis. Translated from the Latin.