Josip Mihalović
| His Eminence Josip Mihalović | |
|---|---|
| Cardinal, Archbishop of Zagreb | |
 | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Zagreb |
| Province | Zagreb |
| See | Zagreb |
| Appointed | 4 May 1870 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination |
12 August 1836 by Josip Lonović |
| Consecration |
17 July 1870 by Mariano Falcinelli Antoniacci |
| Created Cardinal | 22 June 1877 |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Josip Mihalović |
| Born |
16 January 1814 Torda, Austrian Empire |
| Died |
19 February 1891 (aged 77) Zagreb, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia |
| Buried | Zagreb Cathedral |
| Nationality | Croat |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
|
Josip Mihalović (16 January 1814 – 19 February 1891) was a Croatian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Zagreb.
Biography
Origins
House of Mihalović (also Mihalovich, Mihalovics, Mihalovits, Mihajlović) was Serbo-Croat-Hungarian noble family from Slavonia. Emperor Charles VI granted them in 1716 nobility statues because they served as loyal Habsburg officers and had bravely fought against Ottomans during the Hundred Years' Croatian–Ottoman War. By 1763 they were Orthodox Christians and were known under the name Mihajlović. When they eventually connected with Rome and Austrian Empire, their social and economic rise began. Several notable men came from House of Mihailović, including composer Edmund, Karlo (Károly, Dragutin 1830-1918), Hugo (1874-1956), Antun (1868-1949, last Croatian ban in Austro Hungary) and Josip (József, 1814-1891).[1]
Early life and education
Josip Mihalović was born in Torda in the Austrian Empire were he attended lower elementary school. He attended elementary school in Velika Bečkerek, high school in Szeged, and additional schools in Timișoara where he also completed his philosophy and theology studies and gained doctorate in theology. From 1834 he worked in the episcopal office. He was ordained a priest on August 12, 1836 by Bishop Josip Lonović. In 1837 he became chaplain of the town parish in Timișoara and in 1837 notary of the Holy See. In 1841 he became bishop's secretary, and in 1846 Principal of the Office of Bishops. In February 1848 he became a canon, and in 1849 bishop's deputy.[2][3]
Revolutions of 1848
During Revolutions of 1848 Mihalović was on the side of Hungarian rebels. After revolution was suppressed, he was brought before the Military Court in Timișoara. On November 17 he was deprived of all services, honorable titles and estates, and sentenced to four years of prison, out of which he served two in the fortress city of Leopold near Nitra in Slovakia. In 1852 he received a pardon, but he was allowed to serve another four years only as a chaplain in his homeland under police surveillance. In October 1855 he became pastor of Dudeștii Vechi, in 1859 dean and school superintendent, in May 1861 canon, in June 1861 Timisoara factory pastor, as well as abbot at Sveti Martin na Muri.[3]
Bishop and cardinal
In 1868 Mihalović received a nomination for the title of Bishop of Duvno. On May 4, 1870 he was appointed Bishop of Zagreb, and on July 17 he received episcopal ordination in Vienna. The main initiator was the Archbishop Mariano Falcinelli Antoniacci, Titular Bishop of Athens. He was enthroned in Zagreb on August 6, 1870. On June 22, 1877 Pope Pius IX appointed him to the position of the cardinal-priest at San Pancrazio fuori le mura. He received cardinals hat in Rome in St Peter's Basilica on June 25, 1877. He participated in the conclave in 1878 on which Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci was elected Pope. Emperor Franz Joseph wanted Mihalović to become Archbishop of Zagreb, but he didn't want that because of the complex political situation in Croatia of the time so he decided to resign and seek a transfer to one of the Hungarian diocese, but Emperor and church leaders managed to make him change his mind so he eventually stayed.
Bishops Mihalović, Haulik and Strossmayer have been very active in promoting church, social, cultural and political life. Mihalović was mostly oriented on the church life, especially on the education of young priest candidates. In 1878 he initiated establishment of male seminary and gymnasium in Zagreb. In addition, he set revenue of four canons for financial support of the students in seminary. Mihalović appointed Juraj Posilović to the position of editor of the Zagreb Catholic paper (ZKL; 1872-1875). Posilović became in 1874 a regular lecturer at the Theological Faculty of the University of Franz Joseph I. He remind lecturer until his appointment as Bishop of Senj-Modruš. During this period ZKL has published several professional discussions on the occasion of the First Vatican Council including the famous constitution Eternal Shepherd (Vječni pastir; Pastor Aeternus), which contains the definition of papal infallibility. Liberals were accusing Jesuits as constitution's real authors which resulted in many priests, bishops and ZKL having to protect them. ZKL also reported that bishop Strossmayer (active member of the People's Party) published parliamentary regulations in his journal thus accepting them.[4]
1880 Zagreb earthquake and the reconstruction of the Cathedral
One of the most greatest Mihalović's works is the restoration of the Zagreb Cathedral. In 1874 bishop Strossmayer, who had large estates throughout Slavonia, started collecting funds for the Cathedral reconstruction. One of the promoters of reconstitution was also Josip Štadler. Reconstruction was interrupted on November 9, 1880 by 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Zagreb. Although only one person was killed in the earthquake, it destroyed or damaged many buildings, including the Cathedral right at the moment when canon Franjo Rački served Mass on one of the side altars. From total of 32 altars, only 3 were kept after renovation. After the earthquake, the reconstruction of the Cathedral was conducted from 1880 to 1902 in neo-Gothic style by the architect Hermann Bollé with funds of Izidor Kršnjavi.[5]
Death
Mihailović died on February 19, 1891 in Zagreb at the age of 77. He was buried in the Cathedral. Liberal magazine Obzor, which he often defied during his lifetime, paid him tribute by publishing article which stated among other:
[Josip Mihalović] failed to justify fears of the [Croatian] people, and hope of the others to serve them. For him, the realm of gentleness and justice were not empty words. He was constantly impressed by the hostile welcome in Croatia which held him back in his work.[2]
In year 1886, 50th anniversary of his young mass was celebrated throughout the Archdiocese of Zagreb. It became clear that "he managed to get full sympathy of the incredulous Croatian people with his meekness and wisdom."[6]
References
- ↑ "Mihalović | Hrvatska enciklopedija". Enciklopedija.hr. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- 1 2 "Josip Mihalović, kardinal (1870. – 1891.) - Zagrebačka nadbiskupija". Zg-nadbiskupija.hr. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- 1 2 "Mihalovics – Magyar Katolikus Lexikon". Lexikon.katolikus.hu. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ↑ "Agneza Szabo: Političke i crkvene okolnosti". Croatianhistory.net. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ↑ "Đavlova glava u zagrebačkoj katedrali (3/5) - Portal Hrvatskoga kulturnog vijeća". Hkv.hr. 2008-11-18. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
- ↑ B. Bangha DJ. Katolikus lexikon III, Budapest 1932