Čika (

Zadar Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ...

, first half of 11th century –

, after 1095;

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: ''Chicca'') was a Croatian

benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...

, founder of the benedictine monastery of St. Mary Church in

. She is also known for the illuminated prayer book known as Čika's book of hours, the oldest prayer book for personal use in Europe.

Life

She was the daughter of Dujam and Vekenega, niece of prior Madi, and the wife of Andrija. She was the member of the noble patrician family Madi. After the death of her husband in 1066, she founded the monastery of St. Mary in Zadar with the help of her family. King

Petar Krešimir IV Petar (, sr-Cyrl, Петар) is a South Slavic masculine given name, their variant of the Biblical name Petros cognate to Peter. Derivative forms include Pero, Pejo, Pera, Perica, Petrica, Periša. Feminine equivalent is Petra. People mo ...

referred to her as his sister when he placed the monastery under the royal protection, though such genealogy is debated.Stipišić, J. i M. Šamšalović, ur. Codex Diplomaticus Regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, sv. 1. Zagreb: Izdavački zavod Jugoslavenske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti, 1967., p. 102. (Dalje: CD I) She is the mother of

Vekenega Vekenega (Zadar - Zadar, September 27, 1111) was a Croatian Benedictine nun from the House of Madi, a noble family from Zadar Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest con ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cika Cika Cika 11th-century Christian nuns Year of birth missing Year of death missing Croatian nuns