Bishop Nikola Bijanković

He was apostolic missionary in the lands of the Split arch - diocese under the Turks whom the Turks themselves thought a man of God. 
The proveditore of Makarska reported hat in 1724 he had purchased grain to assuage the famine among the people, and for this pawned his silver, including two chalices. 
During the Morean War (1684-1695) he had taken part as military chaplain in the liberation of Sinj, Herceg Novi and Neretva and after the heroic defence of SInj in 1715 he had built in Brela the Church of Our Lady of Victory (subsequently “of Carmel”). 
In the memory of the population of Makarska Littoral he was known as the blessed Bijanković. According to one of the legends Bijanković sensed six ruffians had been sent to kill him. He went calmly to the Oratory in Brela, dressed in his finest vestments and sat down to await them. “Whom seek you?” he asked when they came, and they were taken so aback they vanished without trace. 
According to another legend, in Brela they had time out of mind worried that what was called the Terrible Spur  (Strašna kosa) would hurtle down Biokovo onto the village. The bishop mounted his donkey, went into the cave below this Strašna kosa and placed there some holy relics to protect the Brela people. It was also said that he sowed rice on the strand… 
He was buried in the Cathedral of St Mark in Makarska with the inscription “Dust, ash and nothing” on his gravestone. But his insides were buried in a little grave in front of the main altar of the Church of Our Lady of Carmel in Soline. 
After his death Don Eugen Vusio of Makarska recorded the testimonies of 125 living people about the miraculous cures that had hap - pened thanks to the intercession of the late bishop.