Blessed Augustin Kažotić: First Croatian Blessed and Zagreb Bishop Remembered

Augustin Kažotić (c. 1250‑1319) was the first Croatian to be declared blessed by the Catholic Church and served as the bishop of Zagreb from 1303. Appointed by Pope Benedict XI, he reformed the liturgy, introduced a distinct Zagreb rite, and founded a cathedral school that educated both clergy and laypeople. He also championed the poor, improving health and sanitation in the diocese.

Kažotić acted as a papal diplomat, leading a delegation to Avignon in 1318. After a conflict with King Charles Robert of Anjou, the pope transferred him to the Italian see of Lucera, where he died a year later. Pope Clement XI formally beatified him in 1702, and his relics remain in Zagreb and Lucera.