Pavao Žanić
Encyclopedia
Pavao Žanić was the bishop of Mostar-Duvno in Bosnia and Herzegovina
from 1980 to 1993. A leading critic of the alleged apparitions at Međugorje, he was the local ordinary
in 1981 when the apparitions began.
, Croatia
, he was ordained a priest on June 1, 1941. In 1970, he was appointed coadjutor of Mostar-Duvno and titular bishop of Edistiana. In 1980, became the ordinary bishop of Mostar-Duvno.
Bishop Pavao Žanić was originally in favor of the Marian apparitions
in Međugorje, but later denounced them. This was attributed mainly to hostilities with the Franciscans, the administrators of St. James Church, where the visions were allegedly taking place. In April 1986, Žanić submitted a negative report of the apparitions to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, at the time Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican, but his conclusions were not accepted. Cardinal Ratzinger then removed Bishop Žanić from his position as overseer of the investigation and dissolved the bishop's commission. The Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia
was then given responsibility for overseeing the matter.
Bishop Žanić retired in 1993 at age 75 and was succeeded by Bishop Ratko Perić
.
He died in 2000 at the age of 81.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
from 1980 to 1993. A leading critic of the alleged apparitions at Međugorje, he was the local ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
in 1981 when the apparitions began.
Biography
Born in 1918 in Kaštel NoviKaštel Novi
Kaštel Novi is a town within the administrative area of Kaštela in Dalmatia, Croatia. Its name means New Castle.-The town of Kaštela:The town of Kaštela is located on the coast of the Bay of Kaštela. It has over 40 000 inhabitants, and it is the second largest town in the Split and Dalmatia County...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, he was ordained a priest on June 1, 1941. In 1970, he was appointed coadjutor of Mostar-Duvno and titular bishop of Edistiana. In 1980, became the ordinary bishop of Mostar-Duvno.
Bishop Pavao Žanić was originally in favor of the Marian apparitions
Marian apparitions
A Marian apparition is an event in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed to have supernaturally appeared to one or more people. They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobriquet which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition...
in Međugorje, but later denounced them. This was attributed mainly to hostilities with the Franciscans, the administrators of St. James Church, where the visions were allegedly taking place. In April 1986, Žanić submitted a negative report of the apparitions to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, at the time Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican, but his conclusions were not accepted. Cardinal Ratzinger then removed Bishop Žanić from his position as overseer of the investigation and dissolved the bishop's commission. The Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia
Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia
The Bishops' Conference of Yugoslavia was an episcopal conference of the Catholic Church covering the territory of Yugoslavia.The first such bishops' conference was held in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in November of 1918...
was then given responsibility for overseeing the matter.
Bishop Žanić retired in 1993 at age 75 and was succeeded by Bishop Ratko Perić
Ratko Peric
Mons. Ratko Perić is the current Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and Apostolic Administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan.Ratko Perić was born in the village of Tuk in the Rovišće municipality, near Bjelovar in Croatia. After studies in Zagreb and Rome, he was ordained priest on 29 June 1969 in Prisoje...
.
He died in 2000 at the age of 81.