Raoul of Merencourt
Encyclopedia
Raoul of Merencourt was Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
from 1214 to 1225. He succeeded the assassinated
Albert Avogadro
.
In 1216 he attended the Fourth Lateran Council with many of his suffragan bishop
s, and along with Pope Innocent III
, he gave a sermon on the first day of the proceedings (November 11) calling for a new crusade to recover the Holy Land
. Further preparations for the crusade (the Fifth
) were made on the last day of the council, November 30. However, for various reasons the crusade was postponed until 1217, after the death of Innocent. Raoul was appointed as one of Honorius III
's papal legate
s, and was escorted back to his see in Acre by John of Brienne
, nominal King of Jerusalem. He personally participated in the crusade against Egypt
; at one point he carried a relic
of the True Cross
, and prostrated himself with his head buried under the sand in order to ensure the success of the siege at Damietta
.
He presumably died in 1225 and was succeeded by Gerald of Lausanne.
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
from 1214 to 1225. He succeeded the assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
Albert Avogadro
Albert Avogadro
Saint Albert Avogadro was a canon lawyer who served as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1204 until his death.Born in Parma, Albert was educated in theology and law and served as Bishop of Bobbio until 1184, when he was appointed Bishop of Vercelli. He served the Papacy as a mediator and diplomat...
.
In 1216 he attended the Fourth Lateran Council with many of his suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
s, and along with Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, he gave a sermon on the first day of the proceedings (November 11) calling for a new crusade to recover the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. Further preparations for the crusade (the Fifth
Fifth Crusade
The Fifth Crusade was an attempt to reacquire Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering the powerful Ayyubid state in Egypt....
) were made on the last day of the council, November 30. However, for various reasons the crusade was postponed until 1217, after the death of Innocent. Raoul was appointed as one of Honorius III
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III , previously known as Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.-Early work:He was born in Rome as son of Aimerico...
's papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s, and was escorted back to his see in Acre by John of Brienne
John of Brienne
John of Brienne was a French nobleman who became King of Jerusalem by marriage, and ruled the Latin Empire of Constantinople as regent.-Life:...
, nominal King of Jerusalem. He personally participated in the crusade against Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
; at one point he carried a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
of the True Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
, and prostrated himself with his head buried under the sand in order to ensure the success of the siege at Damietta
Damietta
Damietta , also known as Damiata, or Domyat, is a port and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt. It is located at the intersection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile, about north of Cairo.-History:...
.
He presumably died in 1225 and was succeeded by Gerald of Lausanne.