View source for Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka

{{Short description|Roman Catholic diocese in Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
{{See also|List of Roman Catholic Dioceses in Bosnia-Herzegovina|Franjo Komarica|Marko Semren}}
{{Other uses|Diocese of Banja Luka (disambiguation){{!}}Diocese of Banja Luka}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction      = <!-- Type of jurisdiction: i.e. Diocese or Archdiocese -->
| name              = Diocese of Banja Luka
| latin             = Dioecesis Banialucensis
| local             = Banjolučka biskupija
| image             = File:Католичка црква 02 cropped.jpg
| image_size        = 225px
| image_alt         = 
| caption           = Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure
| coat              = CoA Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka.svg
| coat_size         = 150px
| coat_alt          = 
| coat_caption      = Coat of Arms of diocese of Banja Luka
<!---- Locations ---->
| country           = {{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
| territory         = {{flag|Republika Srpska}}
| province          = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vrhbosna|Archdiocese of Vrhbosna]]
| metropolitan      = 
| deaneries         = {{unbulleted list|Banja Luka|Livno|Jajce|Bihać|Prnjavor|Bosanska Gradiška}}
| headquarters      = 
| coordinates       = <!-- Use {{coord}} -->
<!---- Statistics ---->
| area_km2          = 16,457
| area_sqmi         = 6,356
| area_footnotes    = 
| population        = 735,000<ref name="Data">{{Catholic-hierarchy|diocese|dbanj|Diocese of Banja Luka|3 August 2018}}</ref>
| population_as_of  = 2022
| catholics         = 24,660<ref name="Data"/>
| catholics_percent = 3.36
| parishes          = 48<ref name="Data"/>
| churches          = <!-- Number of churches in the diocese -->
| congregations     = <!-- Number of congregations in the diocese -->
| schools           = <!-- Number of church supported schools in the diocese -->
| members           = <!-- Number of members in the diocese -->
<!---- Information ---->
| denomination      = [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]
| sui_iuris_church  = [[Latin Church]]
| rite              = [[Roman Rite]]
| established       = 5 July 1881
| dissolved         = 
| cathedral         = Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure
| cocathedral       = 
| patron            = Saint Bonaventure
| patron_title      = <!-- Use to override the default label "Patron saint" -->
| priests           = 34<ref name="BB">{{cite web |url=http://biskupija-banjaluka.org/index.html/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027072946/http://www.biskupija-banjaluka.org/index.html |archive-date=2010-10-27 |title=:: BANJOLUČKA BISKUPIJA ::}}</ref>
<!---- Current leadership ---->
| pope              = {{Incumbent pope}}
| bishop            = [[Željko Majić]]
| bishop_title      = Bishop
| metro_archbishop  = [[Tomo Vukšić]]
| coadjutor         = 
| suffragans        = <!-- List most senior first (usually reckoned by date of consecration); use | suffragan = for one-->
| auxiliary_bishops =
| apostolic_admin   = 
| vicar_general     = [[Anto Orlovac]]
| episcopal_vicar   = 
| judicial_vicar    = 
| archdeacons       = <!-- List most senior first (usually reckoned by date of first collation); use | archdeacon = for one-->
| emeritus_bishops  = [[Franjo Komarica]], [[Marko Semren]]
<!---- Map ---->
| map               = Banjolucka biskupija.svg
| map_size          = 
| map_alt           = 
| map_caption       = 
<!---- Website ---->
| website           = {{Official website|http://www.biskupija-banjaluka.org|biskupija-banjaluka.org}}
| footnotes         = 
}}

The '''Diocese of Banja Luka''' ({{langx|la|Dioecesis Banialucensis}}; {{langx|hr|Banjolučka biskupija}}) is a [[diocese]] of the [[Latin Church|Catholic Church]] in western [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]]. The diocese is centred in the city of [[Banja Luka]], Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Erected on July 5, 1881, the diocese is a suffragan of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vrhbosna|Archdiocese of Vrhbosna]], as the Diocese of Banjaluka. In 1985 the name of the diocese was changed to Banja Luka. 

[[Željko Majić]] became bishop of Banja Luka in  2024.

== History ==
[[File:Catholic church Mahovljani Banja Luka.jpg|thumb|left|St. Francis' Church in [[Mahovljani]]]]
After [[Bosnia Vilayet]] came under Austro-Hungarian rule in 1878, Pope [[Leo XIII]] restored the [[vilayet]]'s church hierarchy. In ''Ex hac augusta'', his 5 July 1881 apostolic letter, Leo established a four-diocese [[ecclesiastical province]] in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abolished the previous [[apostolic vicariate]]s. [[Sarajevo]], formerly [[Vrhbosna]], became the [[Archdiocese of Vrhbosna|archdiocesan]] and metropolitan seat. Its suffragan dioceses became the new dioceses of Banja Luka and [[Diocese of Mostar-Duvno|Mostar]] and the existing [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan|Diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan]].<ref name="Leo XIII, Ex hac augusta">Leo XIII, ''Ex hac augusta''</ref>

From 1883 to 1884 the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, [[Josip Stadler]], was an apostolic administrator of the Diocese.{{cn|date=May 2025}} 

The original [[Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure]] in the city was built in 1887 and levelled in an earthquake in 1969. A new cathedral was built in 1974.{{cn|date=May 2025}} 

During the Second World War and after one-third of all the parishes (thirteen) ceased to exist, and in ten others the number of parishioners dropped significantly. There was also a shortage of priests. The Holy See started the process of beatification of four priests killed in the war, in 2014, including [[Juraj Gospodnetić]] and [[Waldemar Maximilian Nestor]].<ref name="hrt01">{{cite web|title=Pokrenuta beatifikacija četvorice svećenika iz BiH|url=http://vijesti.hrt.hr/266524/pokrenuta-beatifikacija-cetvorice-svecenika-iz-bih|website=hrt.hr|publisher=Croatian Radio and Television|access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref>

== Ordinaries ==

=== Apostolic Administrators ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%; border:1"
|-
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;" | Apostolic Administrators of Banja Luka
|-
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | From
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | Until
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 26%;" | Incumbent
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 47%;" | Notes
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1882
| style="text-align: center;" | 1884
| '''[[Josip Stadler]]''' ||[[Archbishop of Vrhbosna]]. Elected on 29 September 1881 and confirmed on 18 November 1881. Consecrated on 20 November 1881. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banja Luka on 18 November 1882. He held office until 24 March 1884.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1884
| style="text-align: center;" | 1912
| '''[[Marijan Marković]]''' ||[[Franciscan friar]]. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banjaluka on 27 March 1884, consecrated on 4 May 1884. Died in office on 20 June 1912.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| colspan="5"| From 1912 until 1946 Josip Stjepan Garić served as Bishop of Banja Luka
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1946
| style="text-align: center;" | 1951
| '''Smiljan Franjo Čekada''' ||Franciscan friar. Appointed Apostolic Administrator of Banjaluka in 1946 after death of bishop Garić. Also served as Auxiliary Bishop of [[Archdiocese of Vrhbosna|Vrhbosna]] (1939–1940), bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Skopje|Skopje]] (1940–1967), Coadjutor Archbishop of Vrhbosna (1967–1970) and Archbishop of Vrhbosna (1970–1976).
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1951
| style="text-align: center;" | 1958
| '''Dragutin Čelik''' ||Appointed on 15 December 1951 and consecrated on 16 December 1951. Died in office on 11 August 1958.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align: center;"| '''Sources:'''<ref name="Vrhbosna01">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bstadl|Archbishop Josef Stadler|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="BANJ01">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bmarko|Bishop Marijan Marković, O.F.M.|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Vrhbosna04">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bcekada|Archbishop Smiljan Franjo Cekada|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="V5">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bcelik|Bishop Karel Celik|21 January 2015}}</ref>
|}

=== Bishops ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%; border:1"
|-
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;" | Bishops of Banja Luka
|-
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | From
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | Until
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 26%;" | Incumbent
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 47%;" | Notes
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1881
| style="text-align: center;" | 1912
| ''[[Sede vacante]]'' ||Office held by apostolic administrators.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1912
| style="text-align: center;" | 1946
| '''[[Josip Stjepan Garić]]''' ||Franciscan friar. Appointed on 14 December 1912 and consecrated on 20 February 1913. Died in office on 30 June 1946.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1946
| style="text-align: center;" | 1958
| ''[[Sede vacante]]'' ||Office held by apostolic administrators.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1959
| style="text-align: center;" | 1989
| '''[[Alfred Pichler]]''' ||Appointed on 22 July 1959 and consecrated on 18 October 1959. Resigned on 15 May 1989 and died on 17 May 1992.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1989
| style="text-align: center;" | 2023
| '''[[Franjo Komarica]]''' ||Appointed on 15 May 1989, previously consecrated on 6 January 1986 as Auxiliary Bishop of Banja Luka and [[Titular Bishop]] of Satafis. Resigned on 8 December 1989.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2024
| style="text-align: center;" | present
| '''[[Željko Majić]]''' ||Priest of [[Diocese of Mostar-Duvno|Mostar-Duvno]]. Appointed on 8 December 2023 and consecrated on 2 March 2024.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align: center;"| '''Sources:'''<ref name="Banj01">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bgaric|Bishop Emmanuel Josip Stepan Garić, O.F.M.|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Banj21">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bpichler|Bishop Alfred Pichler|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Banj31">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bkomarica|Bishop Franjo Komarica|21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Banj41">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bmajic|Father Željko Majić|8 December 2023}}</ref>
|}

=== Auxiliary Bishops ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%; border:1"
|-
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;" | Auxiliary Bishops of Banja Luka
|-
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | From
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 11%;" | Until
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 26%;" | Incumbent
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 47%;" | Notes
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1985
| style="text-align: center;" | 1989
| '''Franjo Komarica''' ||Appointed on 28 October 1985 and consecrated on 6 January 1986. Succeeded Bishop of Banja Luka on 15 May 1989.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2010
| style="text-align: center;" | 2024
| '''[[Marko Semren]]''' ||Franciscan friar. Appointed on 15 July 2010 and consecrated on 18 September 2010. Resigned on 15 July 2024.
|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| colspan="5" style="text-align: center;"| '''Sources:'''<ref name="Banj31"/><ref name="Banj98">{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bsemren|Bishop Marko Semren, O.F.M.|21 January 2015}}</ref>
|}

== Demographics ==
{{Unsourced section|date=May 2025}} 
The Diocese of Banja Luka has a population of 550,300. As of 2012, 35,428 (6.44% of the population) are Roman Catholics.

== Deaneries ==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Deanery !! Dean !! Parishes
|- align=center
| Banja Luka<br />''Banjolučki dekanat''<br />[[File:Deanery of Banja Luka location map.png|125px]]|| Ivo Orlovac [[Order of Friars Minor|O.F.M.]] || 
* Banja Luka 
* Barlovci
* Budžak
* Ivanjska
* Marija Zvijezda
* Motike
* Petrićevac
* Presnače
* Šimići
* Trn
|- align=center
| Bihać<br />''Bihaćki dekanat''<br />[[File:Deanery of Bihać location map.png|125px]]|| [[The Reverend|Rev.]] Iljo Arlović || 
* Bihać
* Bosanska Dubica
* Bosanska Kostajnica
* Bosanska Novi
* Drvar
* Ljubija
* Prijedor
* Ravska
* Sanski Most
* Sasina
* Stara Rijeka
* Stratinska
* Šurkovac
|- align=center
| Bosanska Gradiška<br />''Bosansko-gradiški dekanat''<br />[[File:Deanery of Gradiška location map.png|125px]]|| [[Monsignor|Msgr.]] Vlado Lukenda || 
* Bosanski Aleksandrovac
* Bosanska Gradiška
* Dolina
* Mahovljani
* Nova Topola
|-
|}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Deanery !! Dean !! Parishes
|- align=center
| Jajce<br />''Jajački dekanat''<br />[[File:Deanery of Jajce location map.png|125px]]|| Niko Petonjić [[Order of Friars Minor|O.F.M.]] ||
* Jajce
* Ključ
* Liskovica
* Mrkonjić Grad
|- align=center
| Livno<br /> ''Livanjski dekanat'' <br />[[File:Deanery of Livno location map.png|125px]]|| [[The Very Reverend|The Very Rev.]] Adolf Višaticki ||
* Bila
* Bosansko Grahovo
* Čuklić
* Glamoč
* Lištani
* Livno
* Ljubunčić
* Odžak-Ćaić
* Podhum
* Vidoši
|- align=center
| Prnjavor<br />''Prnjavorski dekanat''<br />[[File:Deanery of Prnjavor location map.png|125px]]|| [[Monsignor|Msgr.]] Vlado Lukenda ||
* Dragalovci
* Kotor Varoš
* Kulaši
* Prnjavor
* Sokoline
* Vrbanjci
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

== Churches ==
[[File:Diocese of Banja Luka Map in Croatian.svg|thumb|370px|Map of deaneries and parishes of the Diocese of Banja Luka]]
{{Roman Catholicism in Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

=== Parish churches ===
This is a list of Parish churches by deanery:

==== Deanery of Banja Luka ====
*Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka
*St. Vitus's Church, Barlovci
*Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ivanjska
*[[Mariastern Abbey, Banja Luka|Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Banja Luka]]
*Saints Peter and Paul Church, Motike
*Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Banja Luka
*Church of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Presnače
*Saints Peter and Paul Church, Šimići
*Saint Joseph's Church, Trn

==== Deanery of Bihać ====
*Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Bihać
*Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Bosanska Dubica
*Saint Joseph's Church, Bosanska Gradiška
*Holy Trinity Church, Novi Grad
*Saint Joseph's Church, Drvar
*Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Ljubija
*Saint Joseph's Church, Prijedor
*Saint John the Baptist Church, Ravska
*Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sanski Most
*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sasina
*Church of Saint Anthony the Hermit, Majdan
*Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Stratinska
*Sacred Heart Church, Šurkovac

==== Deanery of Bosanska Gradiška ====
*Church of Saint Roch, Gradiška
*Saint John the Baptist Church, Bosanski Aleksandrovac
*Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dolina
*St. Francis' Church, Mahovljani
*Saint Joseph's Church, Nova Topola

==== Deanery of Jajce ====
*[[Church of the Assumption, Jajce]]
*[[Saints Philip and James Church, Mrkonjić Grad]]
*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ključ
*Church of Saint Elias, Liskovica

==== Deanery of Livno ====
*[[Church of Saint Elias, Glamoč]]
*[[All Saints Church, Livno]]
*[[Immaculate Conception Church (Vidoši)]]
*[[Saints Peter and Paul Church, Livno]]
*[[Saint John the Baptist Church, Livno]]
*St. Michael's Church, Livno
*St. Francis' Church, Bila
*Church of Saint Elias, Bosansko Grahovo
*Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Čuklić
*Saint Joseph's Church, Lištani
*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ljubunčić

==== Deanery of Prnjavor ====
*Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Prnjavor
*Church of Saint Leopold Mandić, Dragalovci
*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kotor Varoš
*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kulaši
*Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sokoline
*St. Francis' Church, Vrbanjci

{{Gallery
|title=Roman Catholic churches in Diocese of Banja Luka
|width=160
|height=170
|align=center
||alt1=|[[Cathedral of Saint Bonaventure]] in Banja Luka.
|File:Католичка црква, Дебељаци.jpg|alt2=|Church of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in Presnače
|File:Crkva Svih Svetih-Livno00489.JPG|alt3=|[[All Saints Church, Livno|All Saints Church]] in Livno
|File:Catholic church Glamoč 1.JPG|alt4=|[[Church of Saint Elias, Glamoč|Church of Saint Elias]] in Glamoč
|File:Katolička crkva (Mrkonjić Grad).jpg|[[Saints Philip and James Church, Mrkonjić Grad|Saints Philip and James Church]] in Mrkonjić Grad
|File:Жупна црква Похода Блажене Дјевице Марије2.jpg|Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Banja Luka
|File:Samostan sv. Luke i župa Uznesenja BDM, Jajce.jpg|[[Church of the Assumption, Jajce|Church of the Assumption]] in Jajce
|File:Crkva Svetog Petra i Pavla -livno0714.JPG|[[Saints Peter and Paul Church, Livno|Saints Peter and Paul Church]] in Livno
|File:Crkva-vidosi-zapad.jpg|[[Immaculate Conception Church (Vidoši)|Immaculate Conception Church]] in Vidoši
|File:Catholic Church-Petrićevac-Banja Luka-2019 05.jpg|Church of Saint Anthony of Padua in Banja Luka
|File:Crkva sv. Ivana Krstitelja, Podhum0014.jpg|[[Saint John the Baptist Church, Livno|Saint John the Baptist Church]] in Podhum
|File:Mariastern monastery.jpg|[[Mariastern Abbey, Banja Luka|Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary]] and [[Mariastern Abbey, Banja Luka|Mariastern Abbey]] in Banja Luka
|File:Saint Joseph's Church, Nova Topola.JPG|Saint Joseph's Church in Nova Topola
|File:Kotorvaroscrkva2.JPG| Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kotor Varoš
|File:Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ivanjska.jpg| Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ivanjska
|File:Roman Catholic Church in Bosansko Grahovo.jpg| Church of Saint Elias in Bosansko Grahovo
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Wikisource1913CatholicEnc|Diocese of Banjaluka}}

{{coord|44.775361|N|17.195144|E|source:dewiki_region:BA_type:landmark|format=dms|display=title}}

{{R-C dioceses in Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
{{Ordinaries of the Diocese of Banja Luka |state=autocollapse}}
{{Roman Catholic churches in Diocese of Banja Luka |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Banja Luka| ]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1881|Banja Luka]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century|Banja Luka]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Sarajevo|Banja Luka]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in Austria-Hungary]]