Marko Culej

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Marko Culej
Diocesan Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Varaždin
Church	Roman Catholic Church
Appointed	5 July 1997
Term ended	19 August 2006
Predecessor	New creation
Successor	Josip Mrzljak
Other post(s)	Rector of the Major Theological Seminary in Zagreb (1992–1993), Titular Bishop of Limata, Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Zagreb (1992–1997)
Orders
Ordination	24 April 1964 (Priest)
Consecration	22 February 1992 (Bishop) by Cardinal Franjo Kuharić
Personal details
Born	Marko Culej (1938-01-19)19 January 1938 Repno, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (present day Croatia)
Died	19 August 2006(2006-08-19) (aged 68) Varaždin, Croatia
Alma mater	University of Zagreb

Marko Culej (19 January 1938 – 19 August 2006) was a Croatian Catholic prelate who served as the first Bishop of Varaždin from 1997 until his death in 2006. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Zagreb from 1992 to 1997.

Coat of arms of Bishop Marko Culej

Early life and education

Culej was born into a Catholic family of Petar and Josipa (née Bočkal) near Zlatar in the Hrvatsko Zagorje region as one among six children.

After graduating from primary school in Belac in 1949, he continued at the Inter-Diocesan Minor Seminary in Zagreb, he consequently joined the Major Theological Seminary in Zagreb and at the same time the University of Zagreb in 1957. The next year he interrupted his studies for the compulsory service in the Yugoslavian Army (1958–1959), and returned to his priesthood formation in the seminary, where he studied until 1964,[1] and was ordained as priest on April 24, 1964 for the Archdiocese of Zagreb,[2] after completed his philosophical and theological studies.

Early career

After ordination, Culej in 1964 served as assistant priest in Samobor, and from 1964 as assistant priest in Desinić. In January 1965, he became interim parish administrator for the local St. George church, and in July he was appointed parish administrator and remained there until September 1981, when he was relieved of his duties as parish administrator. From 1965 until 1975, he was also the temporary administrator in Poljana Sutlanska.

In September 1981, he was appointed a vice-rector of the Archbishop's Major Theological Seminary, a position he held until 1992. In 1986, in addition to the position of Vice-rector, Fr. Culej was appointed a canon of the Primate's Chapter of Zagreb and a head of the Archdiocesan Center for Spiritual Vocations. During 1992–1993 he served as a Rector of the Archbishop's Major Theological Seminary in Zagreb.[1]

Episcopacy

On January 7, 1992, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as a Titular Bishop of Limata and an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Zagreb. On February 22, 1992, he was consecrated as bishop by Cardinal Franjo Kuharić and other prelates in the Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Stephen of Hungary in Zagreb.[2] On August 18, 1993, he was relieved of his duties as the Rector of the Theological Seminary and appointed a vicar general of the archdiocese.

Four years later, on July 5, 1997, Culej become the first bishop of the newly created Roman Catholic Diocese of Varaždin.[1] He died while at the office on August 19, 2006, after a long and severe illness, at the age of 69 in Varaždin.[3]

References

1. "Životopis biskupa Marka Culeja". Official Website of the Diocese of Varaždin (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 May 2020.
2. "Bishop Marko Culej". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
3. "Umro prvi varaždinski biskup mons. Marko Culej". Official Website of the Diocese of Varaždin (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 May 2020.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Edward Kisiel	Titular Bishop of Limata 1992–1997	Succeeded by Marian Florczyk
New title	Diocesan Bishop of Varaždin 1997–2006	Succeeded by Josip Mrzljak