If you've ever visited Split, you've likely encountered the imposing statue of Bishop Gregory of Nin (Grgur Ninski), striking his iconic pose while guarding the entrance to Diocletian's palace. Perhaps you've even heard the local legend: rub the thumb of his right foot, and good luck or a wish will be granted.
Foot of Gregory of Nin, by Dennis G. Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
But who exactly was Bishop Gregory, and what made him so significant that not one, but three grand statues commemorate him across Croatia? Read on to uncover his fascinating story.
Who Was Gregory of Nin?
As his name suggests, Bishop Gregory was indeed a bishop, serving from the city of Nin in 10th-century Croatia. To fully grasp the significance of his position, let's set the historical stage. Between 925 and 1102, the region was known as the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia. During this period, the kingdom was vast, spanning over 100,000 square kilometers () and encompassing territories that included present-day Bosnia and West Herzegovina.
While Zagreb is Croatia's capital today, the kings of this medieval kingdom did not have a single fixed capital but rather ruled from three cities:
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Nin
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Biograd na Moru
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Krk
Consequently, Nin was one of the most crucial centers of the kingdom, making the seat of the Bishop of Nin an exceptionally powerful and influential position in medieval Croatia.
The Croatian history in 19 maps, by Stjepan Srkulj, Wikimedia Commons
Why Was Gregory of Nin so Important?
So, being the bishop of an important city like Nin, was that truly enough to warrant three colossal statues across the country?
Historical records regarding Bishop Gregory's life and work are, unfortunately, sparse. However, what little we know suggests he was frequently at odds with the Popes of his era. A widely circulated popular account tells that Pope Nicholas II (Gerard of Burgundy) sent the cleric Mainard to the Dalmatian region. Mainard's mission was to investigate the church discipline among the Slavic people. During his travels, Mainard not only visited churches and monasteries but also convened a significant conference in Split in 1059.
During this conference, an act was reportedly passed that had far-reaching implications: it forbade the performance of any Christian rites or services in the Slavic language, and effectively prevented any Slavic-speaking person from being ordained a priest. The official languages for church services were to be either Greek or Latin.
Such an act would have alienated the common people from the church, as they were not educated in Latin or Greek. The powerful folk story asserts that Bishop Gregory, as the highest-ranking ordained priest in the Kingdom of Croatia, boldly refused to accept this act, steadfastly continuing the liturgy in the Slavic language.
While later historical analysis revealed this popular narrative might stem from a mistranslation or misinterpretation of papal letters, by then, the Croatian people had already embraced Bishop Gregory as a powerful symbol of their fight to preserve the national spirit and language.
The Statues
Today, the 3 statues of Gregory of Nin stand proudly in the cities of Split, Nin, and Varaždin. All three are the magnificent work of the renowned Croatian sculptor, Ivan Meštrović.
The largest and most famous, the statue in Split, was first unveiled in 1929. Interestingly, its original location was not where we see it today in front of the Golden Gate, but rather on the Peristil, the central square within Diocletian's Palace itself.
During the Italian occupation of Dalmatia in World War II, the statue was disassembled and relocated to Ivan Meštrović's gallery. It remained there until 1954, when it was finally moved to its current prominent position in front of the Golden Gate, where it is situated to this day.
This impressive bronze sculpture stands an astonishing 7.58 meters (24.86 feet) tall. Meštrović crafted it by first creating a detailed gypsum mold, which was then used for the final bronze casting.
Conclusion
Bishop Gregory of Nin remains a towering figure in Croatian history, not just for his actual historical role, but for the powerful symbol he became. Whether the stories of his defiance are entirely accurate or embellished by popular imagination, they resonated deeply with a people striving to define and preserve their unique cultural and linguistic identity.
The three monumental statues by Ivan Meštrović stand as enduring tributes to this spirit, reminding all who visit Croatia of a bishop who, in the popular consciousness, truly championed the soul and language of his nation. So, next time you're in Split, rub that thumb not just for luck, but as a small gesture acknowledging the enduring legacy of Bishop Gregory.
