VENETIAN MONASTERY AND CHURCH OF MADONNA DEI SERVI AND CROATS: CONNECTIONS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES UP TO MODERN TIMES

Središnja tema istraživanja u ovome radu oblici su povezanosti iseljenih Hrvata sa samostanom i crkvom Reda servita (Madonna dei Servi) u Mlecima u širokom vremenskom rasponu od 15. do 19. stoljeća. Rad je zasnovan na istraživanju i raščlambi izvornoga gradiva iz Državnog arhiva u Mlecima (oporučni spisi hrvatskih useljenika), kao i na uvidu u postojeća saznanja historiografije. Istražuje se na koji su način useljeni Hrvati održavali vezu s tim uglednim mletačkim crkvenim redom (oporučni legati: mjesta pokopa, habit, služenje misa, darovnice i drugo), pri čemu se rečena problematika nastoji uklopiti u opći kontekst hrvatskih prekojadranskih iseljavanja u kasnome srednjem i ranome novom vijeku. U drugome dijelu rada predmet istraživanja je rapski biskup i splitski nadbiskup Pacifik Bizza (1696. – 1756.), koji je koncem tridesetih godina 18. stoljeća u Mlecima djelovao kao kapelan i rektor zavoda za obraćenike, a 1742. godine posvetio podizanje oltara u crkvi Reda servita. Naposljetku, u završnome dijelu rada istraživanje je usmjereno na Mlečanku bokeljskoga podrijetla, službenicu Božju Anu Mariju Marović (1815. – 1887.), koja je upravo na mjestu sjedišta servita utemeljila Istituto Canal ai Servi (Istituto Canal – Marovich), namijenjen preodgoju žena i djevojaka.During the past centuries, but especially from the fifteenth century up to the eighteenth century, Croatian immigrants’ community in Venice was one of many similar but quite active ethnical groups. An important part of their integration into the Venetian daily life was their religious life, i.e. their relations with the local ecclesiastical institutions and clerics. Authors of this article have examined various connections among immigrants from Croatia, local monastery and church of Madonna dei Servi, especially regarding the Servite Order (Ordo Servorum Marie), which was – besides Franciscans and Dominicans – one of the most prominent ecclesiastical orders in Venice in that time. Major part of the analysis is based on the unpublished sources presently kept in the State Archives of Venice (Archivio di Stato di Venezia); predominantly notarial testaments (archival holdings Notarile testamenti). Namely, authors have analyzed approximately 40 last wills from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, which was period of the greatest immigration from the Eastern Adriatic coast to Venice. At the same time, in the exactly same period the monastery and church of the aforementioned order have reached their peak. Majority of the analyzed testaments were written by female testators, who had come to Venice from Dalmatia, Boka or Bar, and who predominantly lived in Cannaregio – part of Venice where the Servite Order had its quarters. Authors have analyzed testators’ legacies regarding place of burial – especially those connected to the tombs of the Servite Order, together with the instructions related to the habit of the deceased, grants, memorial services in the church of Madonna dei Servi, and other means of connection with the aforementioned order. In the second part of the article, authors have examined activities of Pacifico Bizza (1696 – 1756), who was bishop of Rab, later archbishop of Split, and before that – during the 1730s – was chaplain and rector of the Institute for catechumens in Venice. Moreover, in 1742 Bizza consecrated the altar in the church of the Servite Order. In the final part of the article authors have studied life of nun Anna Maria Marović (1815 – 1887), who originated from Boka. Namely, at the location of Servite’s quarters she has established Instituto Canal ai Servi (Instituto Canal – Marovich), which main task was re-education of women and girls