Croatian inmates in Loreto

Ilirski kolegij u Loretu (Collegio Illyrico di Loreto) osnovao je papa Grgur XIII. za školovanje klera iz balkanskih zemalja pod Turcima. Otvoren je 1580. godine u talijanskom Loretu (Ancona), vode ga isusovci, pokrovitelj je jedan kardinal, a uzdržavalo ga je poznato Marijino svetište u tom gradiću. Od početka je kolegij imao 30 pitomaca koji su polazili gimnaziju i moralnu teologiju, a pri dolasku polagali prisegu da će nakon završenog studija postati svećenici i vratiti se djelovanju u svojoj domovini. Kolegij je bio predviđen za mladiće iz krajeva pod Turcima, ali kako oni zbog tamošnjih prilika nisu redovito stizali, većina pitomaca dolazi iz Dalmacije. Na pokušaj isusovaca da kolegij prošire i za one kojima je najpotrebniji, kanonici Marijina svetišta uspijevaju ga 1593. ukinuti. Papa Urban VIII. 1624. ponovno uspostavlja kolegij u Loretu, pod isusovačkom upravom, za 36 pitomaca, od toga 12 iz Dalmacije i 24 s turskog područja. Loretski kanonici kao uzdržavatelji ni ovaj put ne poštuju Papine odredbe pa kolegij i nadalje prima samo 20 mladića (od toga 4 turska podanika). Studij traje šest godina i obuhvaća filozofiju i teologiju. Nakon ukinuća isusovačkog reda 1773. u upravi se kolegija izmjenjuju biskupijski svećenici, dominikanci i barnabiti do 1797, kada je zatvoren dolaskom francuske vojske. Obnavlja ga 1834. papa Grgur XVI. pod imenom Collegio illirico-piceno, za talijanske pitomce i 12 pitomaca iz balkanskih zemalja. Vode ga opet isusovci, do pada Papinske države 1860. Premda zbog mnogih teškoća kolegij nikada nije ispunio očekivanja osnivača, imao je važnu ulogu za Crkvu i kulturu katolika u Hrvatskoj, Albaniji i Bugarskoj, odgojivši mnoge misionare, župnike, biskupe i književnike. S područja današnje Đakovačke i Srijemske biskupije te iz Bosne u ovom su se kolegiju školovala i za svećenički poziv odgajala 44 mladića.The Illyrian College in Loreto (Collegio Illyrico di Loreto) was founded by Pope Gregory XIII to provide education for the clergy of Balkan countries under the rule of Turks. It was open in 1580 in the Italian town of Loreto (Ancona) and run by Jesuits. One cardinal was the patron and the fi nancial support was provided by the town’s Sanctuary of St. Mary. Since the beginning the College had 30 inmates who attended the grammar school and moral theology classes. At their arrival they took an oath that after their studies they would be ordained as priests and go back to their countries. The College was founded for young men from the countries under Turkish rule, but due to the circumstances in their countries they could not come on a regular basis. Thus the majority of inmates were from Dalmatia. When Jesuits tried to extend the College to those who were in the most need of it, the canons of the Sanctuary managed to close it down in 1593. Pope Urban VIII re-established the college under the administration of Jesuits in 1634 for 36 inmates; 12 from Dalmatia and 24 from the countries under Turkish rule. The canons of Loreto who were in charge of maintenance did not obey the papal decrees, thus the College was in position to admit only 20 young men (4 of them from the countries under Turkish rule). Studies lasted for 6 years and comprised philosophy and theology. After the Jesuit order had been abolished in 1773, the College was run by diocesan priests, Dominicans and Barnabits up to 1797 when the French Army closed it down. In 1834 the College was re-established by Pope Gregory XVI under the name Collegio illirico-piceno for Italian inmates and for 12 students from the Balkan countries. It was run by Jesuits up to 1860 (the fall of the Papal States). In spite of the fact that the College never fulfi lled the expectations of its founders, it played an important part in the Church and cultural life of the Catholics in Croatia, Albania and Bulgaria and succeeded in forming many missionaries, parish priests, bishops and men of letters. 44 young men from the region of the Diocese of Đakovo and Srijem and from Bosnia were formed as priests at this College