Today, the parish of Tomislavgrad is the central and largest parish in the Duvanjski Deanery. It was established in 1828 by dividing the ancient parish of Duvno, which was based in Seonica. The border between the parishes followed a line from Kovača to Mandina Gradina.
Initially, the parish priests resided in the village of Mokronoge, and the parish was named after the village. Since 1861, the parish headquarters have been in Tomislavgrad, on a site above the present-day Orthodox church. The parish priests lived there until the construction of the monastery in 1940. The first church was built next to the old parish house (1861-65). The magnificent basilica in Tomislavgrad was constructed over more than fifteen years (1924-1940) under the guidance of parish priest Fra Mijo Čuić. It was built to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of King Tomislav (925 – 1925), who was believed to have been crowned in 925 on the Duvanjsko field.
The Croatian people from both the Homeland and abroad contributed to the construction. The church and monastery were severely damaged during World War II. They were subsequently restored: first with basic protection and restoration in 1957, and then with a thorough renovation of both the church and the monastery from 1980 to 1987.
The parish includes the settlements of Tomislavgrad, Srđani, Oplećani, Vedašić, Letka, Sarajlije, Kuk, Luk, Mokronoge, Eminovo Selo, Buhovo, Blažuj, Kolo, Podgaj, Jošanica, Stipanjići, Kovači, and Tubolja. Today, the parish is home to about 8,500 Catholics.
Throughout history, monasteries have always been strongholds of Christianity and centers of overall progress in a region—especially spiritual, but also material and cultural. Additionally, in the case of Duvno, a church-strategic reason played an important role for the Herzegovinian Franciscan Province: a monastery needed to be established in the northern parts of the province and diocese, as the remaining three monasteries (Široki Brijeg, Mostar, and Humac) were all located in the southern part of Herzegovina. The rapid population growth in the Duvno area also increasingly prompted the Franciscan administration in Mostar to consider establishing a new monastery in Duvno. A historical reason, namely the belief that a monastery existed in Duvno before the Turkish conquests and destructions and was subsequently destroyed, was not insignificant. Although this information about the monastery in Blažuj (which would have been destroyed by the Turks) is not entirely certain, it is plausible, as reliable historical sources record that at the beginning of the existence of the Bosnian Franciscan Vicariate, one custodia was called the Duvno Custodia—a custodia that would be strange not to have a monastery at its center. Additionally, at that time, there was the seat of a Catholic diocese.
However, the construction of the monastery in Duvno, despite all the above-mentioned important reasons for its establishment, would have remained just an idea or a mere plan for a long time had it not been for a strong personality in Duvno itself (then Županjac, and since 1928 Tomislavgrad), who would undertake the realization of the very idea and desire of the Franciscans and their people. This person was Fra Mijo Čuić, himself a native of Duvno, the parish priest of Duvno for many years (1914–1936), who would be the main organizer and leader of all projects in the parish during the interwar period. He was the builder of the magnificent Duvno basilica, the initiator of the construction of the Franciscan monastery, and the Tomislav House with a reading room. In addition to being the parish priest and dean of Duvno, Fra Mijo was also a member of the Provincial administration, so he could influence the making of key decisions. Work on the monastery began as early as 1930, after the foundation stone was laid on August 10 of that year. However, the work was soon halted because the ground was waterlogged. Additionally, the parish was already exhausted by the construction of the commemorative basilica, so there was simply no money left for the monastery. Therefore, the responsibility for building the monastery was taken over by the Franciscan Province, led by the great Provincial Fra Mato Čutura, who fully understood the need for a Franciscan monastery in the north of the province and diocese. According to an old design, the monastery—based on a plan by engineer Podhorski—was not originally conceived as it would eventually be built. The design features “towers” at all four corners of the monastery and a square, rather than rectangular, shape of the building. In any case, construction resumed in 1938 according to a new (or at least revised) plan.
In the evening hours of July 5th, 2013, the Franciscan Museum “Fra Jozo Križić” was officially opened in Tomislavgrad. It was a valuable and significant cultural step for the Duvno region. Various folklore groups from Sarajlije, Roško Polje, Brišnik, and Tomislavgrad, dressed in traditional costumes, sang local folk songs like ganga and bećarac. Alongside the guardian, Father Ante Pranjić, were Provincial Father M. Šteko, Vicar of Bosnia Srebrena M. Karaula, Gallery Director and Lecturer at Široki Brijeg V. Karačić, around fifteen friars and sisters, Mayor I. Vukadin, Minister P. Galić, Professor R. Dodig, representatives from the Livno Museum, media representatives, and others. A large crowd of locals and guests gathered. Since the hall couldn’t accommodate everyone, the program began in the expanded area in front of the museum. Alongside speeches by the guardian, minister, and mayor, there were also musical performances by our students. After the official museum opening, a very pleasant reception was held for all attendees in the hall, lasting late into the warm summer night.
The museum is located in a house built by the Duvno Franciscans in 1988, initially intended for catechesis, youth gatherings, and cultural events. Inside the house, numerous archaeological and ethnological artifacts, which the friars had diligently collected over many years, were stored. These artifacts were not accessible to the public, so the idea of organizing a museum space had long existed. Finally, Guardian Father Ante Pranjić, with significant financial efforts and the help of engineer B. Petric, arranged the museum space on the upper floor of the house and, with the help of professional museum workers from Sarajevo, selected and organized a permanent museum exhibition with five collections: archaeological, sacral, ethnological, ethnographic, African, with a section dedicated to philately and numismatics. The museum was named in honor of the Duvno Franciscan, Father Jozo Križić.
The items displayed in this exhibition are part of the African Collection of the Franciscan Monastery Museum in Tomislavgrad. They were collected during the missionary work of the Franciscans from Tomislavgrad in Congo, where they have been present for over forty years. The diverse culture and traditions of this third-largest African country have long captivated the attention of both ordinary people and experts and scientists from around the world.
Congo’s traditional society is organized in a tribal manner, with agriculture and gathering being the primary activities of its people. Accordingly, the core of the beliefs of the people living in Congo is their connection with nature and reliance on it, as well as the link between the living and their deceased ancestors. Equally important in the indigenous beliefs is the role of magic and shamans, who are believed to positively influence the lives of those who trust in them.
The presented items are divided into seven groups:
1. Fetishes
2. Music and musical instruments
3. Missionary work
4. Ivory and malachite
5. Weapons, tools, hunting, and fishing
6. Everyday life items and ritual objects
7. Status symbols and masks
Fetishes are small sculptures representing good and evil spirits, used by shamans to heal, ensure good harvests or catches. Even today, traditional African societies often rely on such practices more than on conventional medicine for healing. Items made of ivory and malachite are mostly crafted as ornaments or part of jewelry, with the exhibition featuring the most representative examples of this collection, such as carved elephant tusks, crosses, animal figurines, and female figures made of ivory.
