The Estates of Martyrs, Confessors and Exiles

“Nor must we fail to take notice of those estates that individuals have been deprived of on various pretexts. Some who entered with fearless and resolute determination into the noble and divine contest of martyrdom may also have been stripped of their fortunes. The same may have been the lot of the confessors, who have won for themselves the hope of eternal treasures. The loss of property may have fallen on those who were driven from their native land because they would not give in to the persecutors and betray their faith. Lastly, some who escaped the sentence of death may still have been robbed of their worldly goods. In all such cases we decree that the inheritances of these people be transferred to their nearest relatives. And since the laws expressly assign this right to those most closely related, it will be easy to find out to whom each of these inheritances belongs. And it is plainly reasonable that the inheritance in these cases should go to those who would have stood nearest in kinship if the dead person had died a natural death. [a]