Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the Diocese of Fez, 1226

From a Bull of Pope Honory III we may conclude that there was a bishop in Morocco around 1225 [Bull: "Venerabili Fr. Dominico episcopo in regno Miromolini commoranti", of Pope Honory III, 27 October 1225]. A brief of Pope Gregory IX also mentions a certain Agnellus as bishop of Fez, who was consecrated in 1226 or 1227 [Brief: "Nobili vero Miromolini", of Pope Gregory IX, 27 May 1233]. The historical authenticity of these bishops is contested, but in any case Pope Honorius III praises the archbishop of Toledo for his plan to appoint one or two bishops [Letter: "Archiepiscopo Toletano", of Pope Honory III, 20 February 1225], which indicates that there may have been a Dominican and a Franciscan bishop, as members of these Orders were working there. The bishops of Fez were only titular bishops, and as a rule coadjutor bishops of another Spanish or Portuguese diocese.

(From Huiskamp 1994, pp. 27-28)

- CT