Bishop Đuro Gašparović ( sr-cyr, Ђуро Гашпаровић; born 20 June 1951) is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

prelate, Diocesan Bishop emeritus of the newly reestablished Diocese of Srijem in

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

since 18 June 2008 until 14 February 2024. Previously he was a Titular Bishop of Mattiana and an Auxiliary Bishop of Djakovo or Bosna and Srijem 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 northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

from 5 July 1996 until 18 June 2008.

Education

Bishop Gašparović was born into a Vojvodina Croats Roman Catholic family of Antun and Ruža () near

Stara Pazova Stara Pazova (, ; ; ) is a small town located in the Srem District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 18,522, while Stara Pazova municipality has 62,318 inhabitants (2022 census). The entrance into town f ...

. After graduation from the school in his native town in 1966 and the classical gymnasium in the Minor Interdiocesan Seminary in

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 ...

in 1968, he made the maturity exam at the Lyceum in

Đakovo Đakovo (; , , sr-Cyrl, Ђаково) is a town in the region of Slavonia, Croatia. Đakovo is the centre of the fertile and rich Đakovo region ( ). Etymology The etymology of the name is the (diákos) in Slavic form đak (pupil). The Hungar ...

in 1970 and consequently joined the Major Theological Seminary in Đakovo, where he studied from 1972 until 1977, and was ordained as

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 ...

on 29 June 1977 for the Diocese of Đakovo or Bosnia and Syrmia by Bishop Ćiril Kos, after completed his philosophical and theological studies.

Later career

After his ordination Fr. Gašparović a short time served as an assistant priest in Srijem (1977), a chaplain in

Ruma Ruma (; ) is a town and municipality in the Srem District of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the town has a population of 27,747, while the municipality has a population of 48,621. History Traces of organized human life ...

(1977–1978) and parish priest in Irig (1978–1979). After that he transferred to

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and while resided in the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome 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, ...

, studied the

Liturgics Liturgics, also called liturgical studies or liturgiology, is the academic discipline dedicated to the study of liturgy (public worship rites, rituals, and practices). Liturgics scholars typically specialize in a single approach drawn from anothe ...

at the

Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm The Anselmianum, also known as the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm (; ) or simply ''Sant'Anselmo'', is a pontifical university in Rome associated with the Benedictines. It offers courses in philosophy, theology, liturgy, monastic studies, lan ...

(1979–1981) and the

Canon Law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

, Civil Law and

International Law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...

at the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University (; ), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. The university ...

(1979–1982). Also in the same time he served as the Vice-rector and Econom of the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome (1980–1992) and an Official of the

Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP; ) was a congregation (Roman Curia), congregation of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church in Rome, responsible for Catholic missions, missionary work and related activities. It is also kn ...

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

(1992–1996).

Prelate

On 5 July 1996, he was appointed by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

as an Auxiliary Bishop of Djakovo or Bosna and Srijem and Titular Bishop of Mattiana. On 5 October 1996, he was consecrated as bishop by Cardinal

Franjo Kuharić Franjo Kuharić (15 April 1919 – 11 March 2002) was a Croatian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Zagreb from 1970 until his resignation in 1997. Made a cardinal in 1983, he was known as the "Rock of Croatia" because of his defe ...

and other prelates of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in

. On 15 July 1999 the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

gave him a special authority to govern the

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

n part of the Diocese of Djakovo or Bosna and Srijem and on 1 October 1999 he was nomined as a

Vicar General A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...

for Srijem with the residence in

Petrovaradin Petrovaradin ( sr-Cyrl, Петроварадин, ) is a historic town in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, now a part of the city of Novi Sad. As of 2011, the urban area has 14,810 inhabitants. Lying on the right bank of the Danube, across the m ...

. Nine years later, on 18 June 2008 he become the first Diocesan Bishop of the newly reestablished Diocese of Srijem and hence – a member of the International Bishops' Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Bishop Gašparović retired on 14 February 2024.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gašparović, Đuro 1951 births Living people People from Stara Pazova Croats of Vojvodina Croats of Serbia Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm alumni Pontifical Lateran University alumni Members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Croatia 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Serbia 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Croatia Bishops appointed by Pope John Paul II