Rafael Levaković

Rafael Levaković (also Raphael Levacovich) O.F.M. ( – 1649) was a Venetian Franciscan prelate who served as Archbishop of Achrida (1647–1650); and Glagolitic writer who set foundations for Slavic liturgy based on the missionary concept of the Catholic Church. Levaković actively worked on religious union of the Serbian Orthodox Serbs of Croatia with Catholic Church.

Biography Raphael Levacovich was born in Jastrebarsko, Republic of Venice (today Croatia) in 1597 (some sources say 1607) and ordained a priest in the Order of Friars Minor.

Translation of the liturgical books In the 17th century, the Roman Catholic Church followed the reformist example of Protestantism and published liturgical books in a language understandable to most South Slavs. This task was given to Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, which engaged Levaković. At the explicit instructions of the Pope, Levaković's activities were supported by Metodije Terlecki. In 1628 Levaković published Nauk Krstjanski and in 1631 Misal. In 1640 Benedikt Vinković, a Catholic bishop of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, had the intention to depose Maksim Predojević, Serb bishop of the Bishopric of Marča, and appoint Rafael Levaković instead.

Episcopate On 27 May 1647, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Innocent X as Archbishop of Achrida in Ohrid. On 2 June 1647, he was consecrated bishop by Pier Luigi Carafa, Cardinal-Priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti, with Ranuccio Scotti Douglas, Bishop of Borgo San Donnino, and Alessandro Vittrici, Bishop Emeritus of Alatri, serving as co-consecrators. He served as Archbishop of Achrida until his death in 1650.