Ivan Rafael Rodić Explained

Archbishop Ivan Rafael Rodić, O.F.M. (also Croatian: Ivo Rodić, Italian: Giovanni Raffaele Rodic; June 15, 1870  - May 10, 1954) was a Croatian Franciscan prelate, who served as the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Belgrade-Smederevo between 1924 and 1936.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Biography

Rodić was born on June 15, 1870, in the village of Nurkovac, at the time in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. As a Franciscan, he graduated from the Vienna University of Theology and started teaching theology in Baja, Hungary in 1893, where he remained until 1898.[2]

He became the Abbot of the Franciscan monastery in Vienna, and the provincial minister of several monasteries in Croatia.[2] Between 1881 and 1884, he was the provincial of the Province of St. John of Capistrano that included Slavonia, Syrmia and much of southern Hungary.[5] In 1884, Rodić in his capacity as provincial declined the request of Ivan Antunović to help start a newspaper for the Bunjevci Croats in Bačka, fearing opposition from higher authorities, but supported his cause - using their native language and relaying them news from Croatia. Antunović did nevertheless manage to start the newspaper, Neven, and eventually in 1909 Rodić contributed several articles to it.[5]

He later served as the visitor general of the Order, travelling to numerous monasteries in Europe and America.[2]

On February 10, 1923, Rodić became the apostolic administrator of the newly created Diocese of Banat and moved to Veliki Bečkerek (today Zrenjanin, Serbia).[2] [4] The following year, on October 29, 1924, he was named the archbishop of Belgrade-Smederevo.[2] [3] [4]

On November 28, 1936, he was replaced as an archbishop of Belgrade and instead became the titular archbishop of Philippopolis in Thracia.[4] He died on May 10, 1954, in Požega.[5]

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Giovanni Raffaele Rodic . 2008-12-24 . Catholic-Hierarchy .
  2. Web site: P. Ivan Rafael Rodić . Zbirka portreta i biografija znamenitih ljudi kraljevstva Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca . Leopold Gedö . 1926 . 1887 . . 2011-09-13.
  3. Web site: Istorija . History . Serbian . . 2011-09-13.
  4. Web site: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Beograd Serbia . GCatholic.org . 2011-09-13.
  5. Sudjelovanje slavonskih franjevaca u nacionalnom pokretu podunavskih Hrvata tijekom 19. i početkom 20. stoljeća . PDF . Croatian . Role of Slavonian Franciscans in the national movement of the Danubian Croats during the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century . Robert Skenderović . 194–216 . Scrinia Slavonica . 6 . 1 . October 2006 . 1332-4853 . Croatian Historical Institute - Department of History of Slavonia, Srijem and Baranja . 2011-09-13.