The Arrival of Dominicans in Rijeka and the First Two Decades of their Monastery of St Jerome (1951–1971)

Abstract

The Dominicans arrived in Rijeka in 1949 and soon took residence in the former Augustinian monastery of St Jerome, where they officially established their monastery in 1951. Using archival sources, I have researched the history of the first two decades of this monastery (1951–1971), placing its establishment within the context of the post-war development of the Dominican order in the Croatian lands. The internal organisation and development of the monastic community are presented in chronological order. I have come to the conclusion that the Dominicans in Rijeka devoted themselves to organising their monastic community and various sorts of apostolates, especially their characteristic intellectual apostolate. This was evident at the pulpit in the monastery church, at professors’ chairs at the High Theological School in Rijeka and its Institute of Theological Culture of Laymen, and especially in the apostolate among Rijeka’s youth. A specific form of this apostolate was developed by Fra. Tihomir Ilija Zovko with the Synaxis Community of Young Catholics, whose activities have sadly ceased. I believe this has caused irreparable damage to the apostolate among Rijeka’s youth and religious life in Rijeka in general. Despite this, the Dominicans gave an immeasurable contribution to the religious, cultural, and intellectual life of Rijeka.