Name Ilija Okrugic Role Poet | Died May 30, 1897 | |
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Ilija Okrugić-Srijemac (May 12, 1827, Sremski Karlovci - May 30, 1897, Petrovaradin) was a Croatian poet and play wright from Syrmia, one of members of Croatian national renaissance and a Catholic priest.
Ilija Okrugić was born in Sremski Karlovci (then in Military Frontier, later reunited with Kingdom of Croatia, part of Habsburg Monarchy), in the family that worked in administration.
He went to elementary school in Sremski Karlovci, and studied theology later in Đakovo (in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, part of Habsburg Monarchy).
Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer ordained him as a priest. Okrugić was in the first generation of the priests that Strossmayer ordained, so they remained in more friendly relations, that reflected in Okrugić's works.
He served as chaplain and vicar in various places in Syrmia and Slavonia; in Zemun, Kukujevci, Sot, Sarvaš, Levanjska Varoš, also was a prebendar in Đakovo, in the major church of the bishopric.
The last phase of his service was in Petrovaradin (then in Military Frontier and later in the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, part of Austrian Empire, later Austria-Hungary), from 1866 till his death. He had a title of abbot of St. Demetrius.
He worked with in Zora dalmatinska of Ante Kuzmanić and Danica of Ljudevit Gaj (there Okrugić published his poetry and historical discussions), but also in other Croatian press.