Bishop Ivan Ćurić (born 1 December 1964) is a Croatian

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Minister (Christianity), Christian clergy who is an Ordinary (church officer), ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which me ...

who is currently serving as Auxiliary Bishop of the Đakovo-Osijek since 11 March 2019.

Life

Bishop Ćurić was born into a Croatian Roman Catholic family of Ante and Pavka (née Kolak) in the Eastern Croatia. After graduated a primary school in 1979, he began his priestly formation, first at the Interdiocesan Minor Seminary in

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

, and later in

Đakovo Đakovo (; , , sr-Cyrl, Ђаково) is a town in the region of Slavonia, Croatia. Đakovo is the centre of the fertile and rich Đakovo region ( ). Etymology The etymology of the name is the (diákos) in Slavic form đak (pupil). The Hungar ...

. After his compulsory military service in

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...

, he entered the Major Theological Seminary in

in 1984 and began his philosophical and theological studies, which he continued at the

Pontifical Gregorian University Pontifical Gregorian University (; also known as the Gregorian or Gregoriana), is a private university, private pontifical university in Rome, Italy. The Gregorian originated as a part of the Roman College, founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyo ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in 1987, as a student at the Pontifical

Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum The ''Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum'', or simply ''Collegium Germanicum'', is a German-speaking seminary for Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been ''Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urb' ...

, and was ordained as

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

on 11 March 1989 and

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

on 29 June 1990 for the Diocese of Djakovo o Bosna i Srijem, while completing his master's degree in philosophy. After his return from Italy, Fr. Ćurić a short time served as an assistant priest in

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

and a prefect in the Major Theological Seminary in

(1991–1992) and continued his studies at the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in

(1993–1996). After returning from studies the second time, he performed the following services: vice-rector of the Major Theological Seminary (1996–2007) in Đakovo, parish priest in

Brodski Varoš Brodski Varoš is a village in municipality of Slavonski Brod in Brod-Posavina County, Croatia. The town is notable for being the birthplace of Đuro Đaković, a prominent labor rights activist and communist revolutionary in Yugoslavia between two ...

(2007–2011), Dean of the

Slavonski Brod Slavonski Brod (, ), commonly shortened to simply Brod, is a city in eastern Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Being one of the principal cities in the historical regions of Slavonia and Posavina, Slavonski Brod is the 7th lar ...

Deanery (2010–2011), Rector of the Major Theological Seminary (2011–2013). Meanwhile, he had other assignments: head of the Diocesan Press Office (2002–2007) and a member of the presbyteral council (2011-2019). In 2013 he was appointed as a

Vicar General A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...

of Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek. On 11 March 2019 he was appointed by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

as an Auxiliary Bishop of

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

and Titular Bishop of Tela. On 22 April 2019 he was

consecrated Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

as bishop by Archbishop

Đuro Hranić Đuro Hranić (born 20 March 1961) is a Croatian theologian serving as the Archbishop of Ðakovo-Osijek. Early life and education Đuro Hranić was born in a small village of Cerić near Vinkovci on 20 March 1961 to Stjepan and Eva Hranić. ...

and other prelates of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ćurić, Ivan 1964 births Living people People from Slavonski Brod Pontifical Gregorian University alumni 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Croatia Bishops appointed by Pope Francis