Franciscan church and museum Posusje

In recent decades, Posusje has developed into a decent town. In addition to the town, the parish includes the villages of Rastovača, Čitluk, Osoje, Tribistovo and parts of the villages of Batin and Vinjani.

Life in this area has existed since prehistory: from the older Neolithic in the Posuš area, settlements have been found in Vukovi njiva (Gradac), Ilčinova lazina (Batin) and Prataruše, as well as in Žukovicka Pećina in Zagorje, Posuš and in some other places. Numerous hillforts and mounds (tumuli) have been preserved from the Bronze Age. The castle on Nečajno (Osoje) is particularly famous, as well as three castles in Batin: Izvanjska, Velika and Prataruše. On the importance of archeological finds on Posuški more info area is best evidenced by the name "Posuška culture", as archeologist Petar Oreč called the castles and other preserved buildings from the oldest periods, because they most often appear precisely in the Posuška area, but there are also some in neighboring areas. Borivoj Čović classifies the area of ​​Posušje in the central Illyrian area when it comes to the archaeological inventory. Even in the Roman period, there were settlements in the Posuš area, such as Dočići and Orlov kuk in Čitluk, several settlements in Vinjani, and Roman forts are located in Tribistovo (Gradina and Oluja), Rastovača (Vučja gradina) and Batin (Velika gradina). The Roman town in neighboring Graz is particularly famous with numerous valuable remains, as well as the late antique basilica in the town's cemetery. The rich life in the Middle Ages is best evidenced by the stećak necropolises.

In the area of ​​Posuška parish Rastovača: Bešlića cemetery (8 stećaks), Brigovi (17), Ilijino brdo (15), cemetery (4), Suvi bunari (4); Tribistovo: Bili brig (14), Vučipolje (56), Maslića klanac (60), Sobač (smaller groups of stećaks in three places), Staro polje (group of stećaks), three localities without special names (68 stećaks in total).

The parish church was built for eight years: construction began during the Turkish rule (1872), was interrupted due to the Herzegovinian uprising in 1875, and was completed after the Austro-Hungarian occupation (1880). The construction was led by priest Fr. Filip Čutura, otherwise one of the leaders of the popular uprising against Ottoman rule. The inscription on the church reads: To God Almighty, Blessed Div. Mary Immaculately Conceived by the efforts and management of Reverend Father Filip Čutura, the patriarch and the patriarchs, this church was built by Mr. G. in 1872-1880. The church was not beautiful; it was a reflection of the time and poverty in which it was built. It didn't even have a bell tower for a long time. The first belfry was built by parish priest Friar Vale Glavaš at the beginning of the 20th century: it was completed by the end of 1904. And then in January 1905, a lightning strike knocked it to its foundations.

On that occasion, the roof of the church and the sacristy were severely damaged, and the stones from the bell tower also destroyed two side altars in the church. The big bell disappeared, completely melted, and a small one was thrown away not far from the belfry. A lot of money had to be invested in order to restore it all. The new beautiful bell tower on the front of the church was built in 1912 for the pastorate of Friar Gabra Grubišić. That bell tower, built in the Gothic style from stone blocks, is truly the most beautiful decoration not only of the old parish church, but of the entire Posušje until our days. The thorough renovation of the church began in 1963, under the pastorate of Fr. Didak Ćorić. The church got wet, leaked, became too tight. It looked more like a cave than a church.

During the renovation, it was extended by a few meters, a new presbytery was made that ends with an apse, and two halls were added on the sides: on one side the sacristy, on the other the prayer hall. The old dilapidated ceiling was torn down, and a new, well-secured concrete one was erected. The floor of the church was also changed, and finally the church was plastered inside and out. After the wooden choir collapsed in 1965 and many believers were injured, a new, concrete choir was built. Pastor Fr. Eugen Tomić finished the work, especially on the bell tower, but only the decoration of the nave: plastic molding and tasteless pictures on the wall did not beautify the church at all, but rather defaced it. On the belfry, in a niche measuring 290 x 120 cm, is placed a beautiful statue of Our Lady, made of bronze, the work of Acad. sculptor Petar Barišić. Recently, the restoration of the church is underway, which, according to the wishes of the parish priest Fr. Milan Lončar and the architects, should be restored to its original appearance, so that it can once again be a part of Posušje with its stone beauty, as it used to be.

Starting in 1996, a new large parish church was under construction, which would finally satisfy the constantly growing number of parishioners (today, about 9,600 parishioners). Even after fifteen years of construction, the church is still far from its final completion, even though it has long been used for the service of God. Most of the rough work was completed for the pastorate of Friar Marinko Leka, who started the construction. The church is a project of the famous architect Dr. Marijan Hržić. The space of the crypt and the church is huge: the crypt has 530 m2, and the church has 948 m2. Rough works were completed in 2004 with the installation of a cross above the two bell towers: the cross rises above the bell towers, 48 ​​and 47 m high, another 10 m (later, unfortunately, it was blown down by the wind!).

The crypt was roughly completed in 2000, and since then Sunday Masses have been regularly celebrated in it. In recent times, the crypt has finally been decorated: it now looks beautiful and is a suitable liturgical space. Of course, until the church is arranged. The decoration was completed by Christmas 2008. It has 800 seats, with about 1,500 standing, and with accompanying rooms it can accommodate more than 2,500 believers. There are also several furnished ancillary rooms. Bells have already been purchased and installed for the church (2010): there are six in total, of different sizes and sounds. The exterior facade, except for the bell towers, was plastered in 2011. Eight large and 58 small stained glass windows were installed in the church.

The Franciscan museum "In my father's house" is certainly an unmissable place for all those who come to the municipality of Posušje or pass through that place.

It was founded in 2007 on the initiative of Posuja friars, and is located in the basement of the parish house, which was repurposed and adapted for this purpose. This initiative provided a suitable space for the preservation and study of the cultural and historical heritage of the municipality of Posušje. It was officially opened in October 2018, which was a significant day for Posuja's cultural and historical heritage.

The Ethnographic Collection is located in the first three rooms of the museum. The culture of Posuža region from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century is set in it. The collection has 173 exhibits, of which 91 are on display. The fourth room houses the Sacred Collection, which contains about sixty very valuable exhibits. The oldest exhibit is a missal from 1827, while perhaps the most valuable is a container for holy oils from 1896 with the inscription Župa posusje.

The Archaeological Collection is located in the eastern part of the Museum, with 110 exhibits on permanent display. The time of creation of the exhibit is Neolithic/Eneolithic (around 6,500 to 3,500 BC), Bronze and Late Bronze Age (around 3,000 to 1,200 BC), Iron Age (from 1,200 BC). Christ onwards) and from the beginning to the end of the Middle Ages (from the 5th to the 16th century AD)

There is also the Numismatic Collection, which contains various coins from the middle of the 3rd century BC. Christ until modern times. The collection contains about 150 Roman coins, newer coins from 54 countries of the world and some paper bills and tokens.
The museum also has two museum storage rooms, a rich library and a lapidary that is under construction.

There are few museums in this area that have paid so much attention during the construction itself, the interior decoration, the collection of objects and many other things, which leaves all visitors breathless.

Every exhibit and every meter of space is designed with such care that it provides a sense of ambient perfection down to the last detail, and the lighting itself gives the space a worldly look.

Near the museum there is also an area with stećci, which were transferred to that location in order to preserve them from decay and which certainly complete the museum's offer.

Right next to it is the library, which contains professional literature primarily intended for current and future students of archaeology, history, art history and other related sciences, as well as the entire professional public.