Croatology, Vol. 16 No. 2, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.59323/k.16.2.1
Literary Inspirations of Stjepan Kranjčić
Tanja Baran
orcid.org/0000-0002-2811-0346
; Croatian Radiotelevision, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The article presents and demonstrates how, thanks to the spiritual authority of
one individual, the most significant wave of writing and literary analysis inspired
by Christianity emerged in Croatia at the beginning of the 21st century. That individual is Stjepan Kranjčić (1918–1968), a priest renowned for his holiness, former
parish priest of Križevci, a close associate of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, and a man
who lived virtues to a heroic degree. During his seminary years, he also published
poetry, prose, and theological meditations. Inspired by his exceptional example, a
group of individuals in Križevci founded a civil association in 2007 named after
him: the Association for the Promotion of Distinguished Križevci Residents, “Dr.
Stjepan Kranjčić”. Early in its work, the association’s members discovered that
Kranjčić had been a writer in his youth. Recognizing the lack of encouragement
for writing and publishing Christian-inspired literature in Croatia, they established
national Christian literary competitions for both adults and children in his name.
This initiative was preceded by the publication and analysis of Kranjčić’s literary
work and was later followed by numerous publications written about him or in
his honor. This deep engagement with the late priest also led to the creation of the
scientific project Croatian Literature of Christian Inspiration, which systematically analyzes and evaluates the literary works of previously little-known Christian
writers in Croatia. Interest in Stjepan Kranjčić as an inspiration for literary movements in Croatia continues unabated, even nearly two decades after the rediscovery of his literary contributions. By mid-2025, the national literary competition
for adults, Literary Kranjčić, had produced 17 books of poetry, short stories, travelogues, essays, and monodramas, while the children’s counterpart, Children’s
Kranjčić, had resulted in 14 books of poetry, prose, and plays. Additionally, six
scientific conferences on Croatian Literature of Christian Inspiration were held in
Križevci, with symposium presentations published in six thematic issues of Kroatologija, the journal of the Faculty of Croatian Studies at the University of Zagreb.
Alongside the Catholic publisher Glas Koncila and the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Association, the faculty serves as a co-organizer of this scientific project.
Keywords
literature ; Christian inspiration ; poetry ; prose ; theological meditations ; Stjepan Kranjčić
Hrčak ID:
337380
URI
Publication date:
2.11.2025.
Visits: 192 *