The story of Blessed Augustin Kažotić is an exceptionally powerful blend of spirituality, education, nobility, and the identity of the city of Trogir. What gives my family heritage a special value is the fact that, in our family, Augustin is remembered not only as a historical or religious figure, but as a living symbol of honor, knowledge, and service to the community.
Especially remarkable is the connection between the Kažotić family and the Dominican heritage of Trogir:
- Dominican Monastery and Church of St. Dominic were the places of his spiritual formation before he departed for Paris.
- In the immediate vicinity stood the ancestral home of the Kažotić (Casotti) family, one of the most influential noble families of Trogir.
- To this day, the monastery preserves relics, records, and memories connected to Augustin Kažotić and the noble history of Trogir.
His biography almost symbolically connects the Mediterranean with medieval Europe:
- 01born in Trogir,
- 02educated in Paris,
- 03Bishop of Zagreb,
- 04exiled in Avignon,
- 05died in Lucera, Italy.
This makes him one of the first truly “European” figures in Croatian history.
One of the most meaningful legends connected to Blessed Augustin Kažotić is the story of the “miracle of water.” The legend carries a deeply symbolic message, presenting water as a symbol of life, grace, and care for the people. According to tradition, during a severe drought, Augustin opened a spring through prayer at what is today Ban Jelačić Square — the famous Manduševac fountain in Zagreb. Legends such as this are remembered for centuries precisely because they connect holiness with tangible acts of help and compassion toward ordinary people.