His Eminence Franjo Kuharić Servant of God |
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Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Zagreb | |
Archdiocese | Zagreb |
See | Zagreb |
Appointed | 16 June 1970 |
Term ended | 5 July 1997 |
Predecessor | Franjo Šeper |
Successor | Josip Bozanić |
Other posts | Cardinal-Priest of San Girolamo dei Croati (1983–2002) |
Orders | |
Ordination | 15 July 1945 |
Consecration | 3 May 1964 by Franjo Šeper |
Created Cardinal | 2 February 1983 by Pope John Paul II |
Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Franjo Kuharić |
Born |
Pribić, Krasic, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes |
19 April 1919
Died | 11 March 2002 Zagreb, Croatia |
(aged 82)
Buried | Zagreb Cathedral |
Nationality | Croat |
Previous post |
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Motto | Deus caritas est ("God is love") |
Sainthood | |
Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
Title as Saint | Servant of God |
Styles of Franjo Kuharić |
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Reference style | His Eminence |
Spoken style | Your Eminence |
Informal style | Cardinal |
See | Zagreb |
Franjo Kuharić (15 April 1919 – 11 March 2002) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. His cause of canonization has commenced and he has been made a Servant of God.
He was born in 1919 in Pribić (part of Krašić), in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Croatia). He was educated at the Classic Lyceum, Zagreb; Theological Faculty, University of Zagreb. He was ordained a priest on 15 July 1945 in Zagreb, by Alojzije Cardinal Stepinac, archbishop of Zagreb. He did pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Zagreb from 1945 until 1964.
He was appointed Titular Bishop of Meta and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb on 15 February 1964 by Pope Paul VI and was consecrated on 3 May 1964 by Franjo Cardinal Šeper. He was appointed to succeed Cardinal Seper as archbishop of Zagreb in 1970. In 1983 he was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. He retired in 1997 and was succeeded as Archbishop by Josip Bozanić. He lost the right to participate in the conclave when he turned 80 years of age on 15 April 1999. He was called the "Rock of Croatia".
He died on 11 March 2002 in Zagreb and was buried in the crypt of the metropolitan cathedral of Zagreb.
Ten years after his death, on 11 March 2012, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the Archbishop of Zagreb, announced that he would launch a process that requires the Church to examine options for the beatification of Cardinal Kuharić.
Regarding the status of Medjugorje, Cardinal Kuharić declared that "We therefore leave this aspect for further investigation. The Church is in no hurry."