Rafael Levacovic (Raphael Levakovic/Levanovich, ca. 1590-1651)

Rafael Levacovic (Raphael Levakovic/Levanovich, ca. 1590-1651) OFM. Croatian friar from Iatroberstcha (Zagreb diocese). Entered the Observant Franciscan order around 1605. Made a substantial career. He was for instance general definitor for the Observance and general commissioner for the German and Polish provinces. Also renowned as a Bulgarian and Serbian translator and as a missionary in the Serbian regions (1629-1642). Impressed by his missionary endeavors, the Bishop of Zagreb, Benedict Vinkovic, asked the Congregatio de Propaganda Fidei to have Rafael appointed his episcopal coadjutor for the Uniate Serbs. Yet for a variety of reasons both the Congregatio and Emperor Ferdinand III decided not to go along with it, predominantly because of concerns that the appointment of a Latin, non-Serb Catholic in this position would be frowned upon locally. In the aftermath of this Rafael Levakovic completer his Breviario illirico , demonstrating his knowledge of the Serb language and Serb customs. This enticed the Congregatio to accept his appointment in 1647 as bishop of Scopje and Archbishop of Ocrida. Due to the wars between the Venetian Republic and the Ottomans between 1645 and 1669, he was not able to occupy his see and settled in Dalmatia, from where he sent letters to Rome on the unfolding of the war, and where he began to do archival research, leading to studies on Croation and Serbian history. He died in Zagreb, early 1651.

Works

• Nauk Karstianski [= Christian Doctrine] (Rome, 1628/2nd ed. 1629) [a Serbo-Croatian translation in glagolitic characters of a work on Christian doctrine by Cardinal Bellarmino].

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• Azbukividnjak slovinskij iže opštenim nastinom psalterima nazivaetse (Rome, 1629) [A Serbo-Croatian alphabet in glagolitic characters for religious teaching purposes]

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• Direttorio per i confessori e i fedeli une volta tradotto dal latino in slavo dal prete « Šimun Budinic » e adesso scritto e stampato con caratteri glagolitici dal padre Rafael Levakovic (Rome, 1635).

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• Breviario illirico , an Illyric translation of the Roman Breviary and the Roman Missal at the request of the papal see and the Congregatio de Propaganda Fidei. Never printed?

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• De fundazione Ecclesiae et Episcopatus Zagrabiensis et De moribus Bonfinii et aliorum scriptorum Hungariae. Never printed?

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• Rapports on the history of the Serbs. To be found in the archives of the Congregatio de Propaganda Fidei?.

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Literature