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Croatian inmates in Loreto

Antun Dević ; Diocese of Diacovo and Srijem

Abstract

The Illyrian College in Loreto (Collegio Illyrico di Loreto) was founded by Pope Gregory XIII to provide education for the clergy of Balkan countries under the rule of Turks. It was open in 1580 in the Italian town of Loreto (Ancona) and run by Jesuits. One cardinal was the patron and the fi nancial support was provided by the town’s Sanctuary of St. Mary. Since the beginning the College had 30 inmates who attended the grammar school and moral theology classes. At their arrival they took an oath that after their studies they would be ordained as priests and go back to their countries. The College was founded for young men from the countries under Turkish rule, but due to the circumstances in their countries they could not come on a regular basis. Thus the majority of inmates were from Dalmatia. When Jesuits tried to extend the College to those who were in the most need of it, the canons of the Sanctuary managed to close it down in 1593. Pope Urban VIII re-established
the college under the administration of Jesuits in 1634 for 36 inmates; 12 from Dalmatia and 24 from the countries under Turkish rule. The canons of Loreto who were in charge of maintenance did not obey the papal decrees, thus the College was in position to admit only 20 young men (4 of them from the countries under Turkish rule). Studies lasted for 6 years and comprised philosophy and theology. After the Jesuit order had been abolished in 1773, the College was run by diocesan priests, Dominicans and Barnabits up to 1797 when the French Army closed it down. In 1834 the College was re-established by Pope Gregory XVI under the name Collegio
illirico-piceno for Italian inmates and for 12 students from the Balkan countries.
It was run by Jesuits up to 1860 (the fall of the Papal States). In spite of the fact that the College never fulfi lled the expectations of its founders, it played an important part in the Church and cultural life of the Catholics in Croatia, Albania and Bulgaria and succeeded in forming many missionaries, parish priests, bishops and men of letters. 44 young men from the region of the Diocese of Đakovo and Srijem and from Bosnia were formed as priests at this College.

Keywords

Diocese of Đakovo and Srijem; Loreto; priest candidates; education; studies; Jesuits

Hrčak ID:

47711

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/47711

Publication date:

26.9.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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