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Gradiška monastery produced a large number of famous Franciscans. They were mostly recorded by their first name followed by the supplement "a Gradisca". The Franciscans who died within the monastery were usually buried close to the chapel sv. Rok (St. Rok). According to statements by local people, the gravestones which can still be seen on the western part of the structure, represent posthumous inscriptions dedicated to the Franciscans buried there. Since these inscriptions are too old to be read, the confirmation of this assumption will have to wait for some future time. The following Franciscans were buried outside the monastery:
1699 - Father Pavao a Gradisca - in Brod
1699 - Father Bartol a Gradisca - in
Bač
1699 or 1709 - Father Augustin a Gradisca
- in Nijemci
1711 - Father Bernardin a Gradisca -
in Orahovica
1719 - Father Bartol a
Gradisca - in Naples (Italy)
1719 -
Father Luka a Gradisca - in Brod
1722 - Father Bernardin a Gradisca -
in Bulgaria
1724 - Father Toma a Gradisca - in
Vienna
1725 - Father Josip a Gradisca
- in Mohač
1725 - Father Djuro a
Gradisca - in Belgrade
1739 - Father
Antun a Gradisca - in Velika
1747 - Father Stjepan Sanković,
the guardian of Cernik - in Otok (Syrmia)
1763 - Father Franjo
Martinković a Gradisca. the
guardian of Cernik - in Cernik
1780 - Father Abrozije
Čosić a Gradisca, theology
lecturer and guardian in Osijek
In 1798 Father Grgur Mikačić a Gradisca died but there is no record of the location of his grave. There are records, however, that he was "tireless in the confessional, at the age of 77 and with 54 years experience as a Franciscan". In 1761 he was the chaplain in Stara Gradiška. He studied Philosophy in Temišvar and Moral Theology in Ilok. In the book "Verbum abbreviatum", signed by Father Ivan Ninković a Gradisca, there is record of Father Josip a Gradisca, without the place or year of his death. He was the chaplain in the newly founded centre of the regiment in Nova Gradiška. He studied Philosophy in Požega and Moral Theology in Petrovaradin; he held services in German and Croatian.
It should be noted that in 1733 Father Bonaventura a Gradisca was buried in Osijek. He was a theology lecturer, remarkable scientist and friar. He was remembered by his brothers for the exceptionally large number of books he read and collected even during his illness.
Franciscan and Writer - Djuro Rapić
Of all the Franciscans from Stara Gradiška, the most famous is Father Djuro Rapić a Gradisca. Apart from the usual church duties, he wrote and published two theological books. Both books of Rapić's sermons are kept today in the monastery library in Cernik. The title of the first book is "Something for Everyone or Sunday Sermons by PF. Djuro Rapić from Gradiška". This book was published in Budapest in 1762. The second book entitled "Something from Everyone or A Short Account of Lives Full of Suffering and the Glory of the First Saints by O.PF Djuro Rapić from Gradiška", was also published in Budapest two years after the first one.
Apart from these books of sermons, in 1765 Father Rapić published a catechismal work in which he discussed the ideas of the Enlightenment set forth in the work "Satyr" by the famous Slavonian writer, Matija Antun Relković (1732-1798). In order to emphasise the basic message of his book, Father Rapić gave it the following title: "The Satyr or Wild Man should be Informed, Advised and Guided into Christian Values". Petar Rapić outlined the importance of Christian influence on the life of the members of the Slavonian congregation and criticised Relković's messages as too free- minded for that time.
Apart from his interesting and valuable literary work, this Gradiška Franciscan did not neglect his church duties. In his report of 1758, the visitor Paxy says that Djuro Rapić asked for a further three villages from the Cerkno parish: Ljupina, Sičice and Vrbje. Due to the impending restoration of the monastery, which meant increased expenses, the religious leader of this community expected that his superiors would grant his request.
National and Religious Customs in Stara Gradiška
The Franciscan writer and member of parliament, Mihovil Pavlinović, published some brief notes from his travels in the magazine "Vijenac" (The Wreath) where he described some national customs in Stara Gradiška. This work involves ethnographic descriptions of Croatian villages in the Sava river basin which have been forgotten.
Stara Gradiška on the Eve of St. Peter's Day
"We drove in the directiun of Brestovac on the left side of Požega field and reached the south valleys heading towards Cernik and Nova Gradiška. After spacious flax and wheat fields, after chestnut, oak and spruce forests under Bili Brig and Baćindol, lay water-worn ravines; goats appeared in large numbers on bare, rocky hills; and in the valley we were surrounded by heat and lime. We expected to see girls from the village of Velika gathering plants by the river but we saw flocks of pigs from Cernik instead; instead of woman-reapers, on the clearings we saw idle shepherds with empty handed shepherdesses; instead of white Slavonian villages, sooty huts were scattered around. These valleys were secretly occupied by some foreign counts. And they were not in the least concerned about our forests!
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