Original scientific paper
EX-VOTO OF KVIRIN DESANTIĆ THE PATRICIAN OF SENJ IN THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF GORICE IN BAŠKA
JURAJ LOKMER
Abstract
In the Church of Our Lady of Gorice near to Baška on the island of Krk can be found an ex-voto of the Senj nobleman Kvirin Desantić from 1861. Here the nobleman gave thanks to Our Lady for her miraculous rescue from Ottoman chains. The existing ex-voto is a realistic copy of an older vow picture from the church where in the past the chains would be presented, but they were lost or melted down. This confirms a legend, which was also a part of popular song about the rescue of Luka Kvirin (Guerin) Desantić (in the popular song he was mentioned as Luka, Gojko, Mihailo, Mitar Dešantić and/or Desančić), the son of the Senj patrician and wealthy merchant Vicenzo de Santich, who in 1587 escaped from the Ottoman capture after the seven years of prison in the Tominj Tower near Sanski Most. In a heroic action, the Uskoks of Senj who were led by Juraj Daničić freed Kvirin Desantić. During his captivity in the Ottoman prison, he took a vow to make a pilgrimage to the old sanctuary of Our Lady of Gorice in Baška on the island of Krk where his family had a manor and from where had possibly moved from to Senj. The characteristic style, text under the picture and other data, especially historical sources show that this ex-voto was made at the end of the 17th or at the beginning of the 18th century. The Desantić family no longer live in Senj, but in Baška on Krk. The Desantić ex-voto is not an artwork. It is a particular monument of folk memory and popular history, of the Christian belief and gratefulness to Our Lady, which has comforted many generations of religious believers during centuries in this sanctuary. The religious admirer of Mary would come here from Krk, Rab, Vinodol, Senj, Podgorje and all the way from Gacka and Lika. This is a document of the spirit of a specific period in time which has disappeared and is one more proof of the connection between the towns of Senj and Baška, the two old settlements which were unique popular and spiritual bodies and there is cultural and historical heritage of Baška which proves this.
Keywords
ex voto; Kvirin Desantić; churc of Lady of Gorica; Baška
Hrčak ID:
17763
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2005.
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