Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.58173/kz.79.6
Summary: Dragutin Antun Parčić – a Distinguished Croatian Glagolite Scholar and His Solid Connection with the Monastery in Glavotok
Mirna Lipovac
; Društvo prijatelja glagoljice, Zagreb, Hrvatska / Matica hrvatska, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Dragutin Antun Parčić (Vrbnik, 26 May 1832 – Rome, 25 December 1902) was a prominent Croatian priest, Glagolite scholar, lexicographer, linguist, grammarian, photographer, translator, poet, typographer, cartographer, botanist, astronomer, painter, and watchmaker. He left his mark on every field in which he was engaged. From an early age, he came into contact with the liturgy in the Old Church Slavonic language and the Glagolitic script, while also showing a keen interest in linguistics as well as the natural sciences. An outstanding student during his secondary education, he completed theological studies in Zadar and began his priestly life, first in smaller monasteries of his province, and later as a teacher of priestly candidates and secretary to the provincial superior. However, his true passion lay in scholarly work related to the Croatian language and grammar. Alongside this, he worked on a new Glagolitic missal, using the editions of Karaman and Levaković as models, de-Russifying the texts and replacing words of foreign origin with Croatian ones. He also engaged in typography, personally casting Glagolitic and Latin type for his printing press. The publication of the missal in Rome in 1893, printed in Glagolitic script in Old Church Slavonic of the Croatian recension, was the fruit of thirty years of effort and represented Parčić’s life’s work, by which he saved the Glagolitic tradition from imminent decline at the very last moment. During his lifetime, he published a number of Croatian–Italian and Italian–Croatian dictionaries, grammars of the Croatian language, and similar works. The pinnacle of his lexicographical work is the Croatian–Italian Dictionary (Vocabolario italiano-slavo [croato]) from 1901, which contains approximately 90,000 words across more than 1,200 pages. He is also counted among the most prominent early Croatian photographers and pioneers of scientific photography on a global scale. The monastery in Glavotok runs through Parčić’s entire life as a place of happy childhood days where he encountered and fell in love with the Glagolitic script, a place that shaped his life’s path, an oasis where he sought refuge during difficult times, and a destination for well-deserved rest from his labors. As much as he wished to leave it, since prolonged stays there constrained him, he always longed to return. Parčić remained attached to Glavotok until the end of his life, as he found in it peace interwoven with beautiful memories from both his childhood and mature years. Unfortunately, he was not destined to complete his life’s journey in Glavotok and meet the end of his life on his native soil. He died in Rome and was buried in the common grave of the Croatian Pontifical College of St. Jerome at the Campo Verano cemetery in Rome. From all of the above, it is evident that Dragutin Antun Parčić belongs among the great figures of Croatian culture, yet it may also be said that he has been unjustly neglected. Based on knowledge of several valuable initiatives by a small number of amateurs, enthusiasts of the Glagolitic script, and admirers of Parčić, aimed at introducing the public to his work, we conclude that only in recent times have Parčić’s life and achievements begun to receive their long-deserved place among the pantheon of the great figures of Croatian culture.
Ključne riječi
Dragutin Antun Parčić (Vrbnik, 26 May 1832 – Rome, 25 December 1902); life; work; Franciscan Monastery of St. Mary in Glavotok; Glagolitic script; Roman Missal
Hrčak ID:
351345
URI
Datum izdavanja:
22.9.2026.
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