Professor Majnarić Presented at the Scientific Conference “From Biograd to Ćokovac”

Prof. Ivan Majnarić, PhD, from the University Department of History, and Maja Hučić from the Croatian Institute of History took part in the scientific symposium “From Biograd to Ćokovac – 900 Years since the Destruction of the Benedictine Royal Abbey (1125–2025)”, held on September 25 and 26, 2025, in Biograd na Moru.
 

Majnarić and Hučić presented the topic The Rogovo Abbey in the Light of Ecclesiastical and Monastic Renewal of the 11th Century, in which they examined contemporary historiographical understandings of renewal and its expressions in the local context, especially through the position of Rogovo Abbey in Croatian and Dalmatian history of the 11th century.

Observing the trends of ecclesiastical and monastic renewal in 11th-century Europe, the presentation explored their possible manifestations in the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia through two approaches. It addressed modern historiographical understandings and interpretations of monastic reform, particularly the (traditional) view of homogenizing monastic life through a coherent program—institutionalizing governance, standardizing liturgical practices, and shaping monastic culture overall, with the aim of reducing secular influence on monastic communities—often promoted by leading monastic centers and charismatic figures. On the other hand, this approach often neglected the importance of local contexts and the diversity of organization and religious practices among monastic communities.

Whichever approach is taken in understanding the renewal, one of its central outcomes was undoubtedly the surge in documentation, or the transformation from memory to written word, by which monasteries became guardians of memory and places of identity formation. With this in mind, the presentation consequently reflected on the place of monastic communities, particularly Rogovo Abbey, in Croatian and Dalmatian history of the 11th century.