Ilija Okrugić

Ilija Okrugić-Srijemac (Karlovci, May 12 1827 - Petrovaradin, May 30 1897) was a Croatian poet and play wright from Syrmia, one of members of Croatian national renaissance and a priest.

Ilija Okrugić was born in 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 Karlovci, and studied theology later in Đakovo (in 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.

External links

* [http://www.hrvatskarijec.co.yu/arhiva.php?zg=2282154&no=161 Hrvatska riječ]
* [http://www.matica.hr/www/wwwizd2.nsf/AllWebDocs/klasje200578 Klasje naših ravni]
* [http://www.matica.hr/HRRevija/revija2004_4_n.nsf/AllWebDocs/Zemun Hrvatska revija]