Trifun Vasilije Božičković,

O.S.B.M. The Order of Saint Basil the Great (; , abbreviated OSBM), also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat, is a Greek Catholic monastic order of pontifical right that works actively among Ukrainian Catholics and other Greek-Catholic churc ...

(or , 1719–1785) was the last bishop of the

Eparchy of Marča The Eparchy of Marča (, sr-Cyrl, Марчанска епархија) was an Eastern Christian ecclesiastical entity taking two forms in the 17th century: an Eastern Orthodox eparchy and an Eastern Catholic vicariate. The term was derived from ...

(1759–1777) and the first bishop of the

Eparchy of Križevci Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administrative structure ...

from the erection in 1777 to his death in 1785.

Life

Vasilije Božičković was born on 11 February 1719 in the village of Batinyan, near

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

. He entered in the monastic

Order of Saint Basil the Great The Order of Saint Basil the Great (; , abbreviated OSBM), also known as the Basilian Order of Saint Josaphat, is a Greek Catholic monastic order of pontifical right that works actively among Ukrainian Catholics and other Greek-Catholic churc ...

in 1741, and in the same year he was sent to study in the College of the Propaganda in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. He was ordained a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

in 1744. When in 1745 he got his doctorate in theology, he could not return in his

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

of Marča (located near

Ivanić Grad Ivanić ( sr-Cyrl, Иванић, ) is a Croatian and Serbian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Delfa Ivanić (1881–1972), Serbian painter, humanitarian and writer * Dragutin Ivanić, Croatian pilot * Dušan Ivanić (born 1946), ...

) because it was taken to the

Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...

, so he was sent in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

to teach philosophy. In 1752 he was chosen by his Basilian Order as representative of the Order in Rome. On 4 September 1759 Božičković was appointed

eparch Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an Ecclesiology, ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administra ...

(bishop) of Marča, i.e.

apostolic vicar Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...

for the

Greek Rite The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, is a liturgical rite that is identified with the wide range of cultural, devotional, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Chri ...

population under the Latin Archdiocese of Zagreb, succeeding to Gabrijel Palković, and on 11 November 1759 he was consecrated

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

in Máriapócs by M. Olsavszky, Eparch of Mukachevo. On 17 June 1777,

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...

, on suggestion of the Habsburg monarch

Empress Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

, erected the Greek Rite

separating it from Latin Latin Archdiocese of Zagreb and superseding the previous Eparchy of Marča. Božičković, who played a prominent role in the erection of the eparchy, was chosen as first eparch, and so formally appointed on 23 June 1777. Vasilije Božičković died on 9 May 1785, and he was buried in the church of Saint Mary in

Gornji Tkalec Gornji Tkalec is a village in Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeas ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bozickovic, Vasilije Trifun 1719 births 1785 deaths 18th-century Eastern Catholic bishops Croatian Eastern Catholics Greek Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia Order of Saint Basil the Great