On my round of Motovun this morning I bumped into the priest. I introduced myself and told him that I was moving to the town in four months only. We talked for a long while, mainly about the history of the town and the region. The rest of the day I kept telling everyone I met how much I enjoyed talking to the priest. Were it not the time to go to sleep, I would still be talking about how much I enjoyed today’s encounter.

Addendum I (November 21, 2016)

For the record, Josip Zović was the priest’s name. I found him very to my liking for his mild ways. Also, he spoke slowly and he paid attention to every word he uttered. And he never raised his voice. I often called him the Buddhist priest, and nobody in Motovun complained about this nickname, as it were. He was transferred to the town of Raša in the south of Istria six or seven years ago, but he would occasionally visit his old parish. It was a joy seeing him and exchanging a few words with him each and every time. He is retired by now, though. He spends his days in a nursing home for priests somewhere in Pula. I wish the Buddhist priest all the peace in the world.

Addendum II (July 10, 2020)

Our former priest is no more. As I just learned, Josip Zović drowned two days ago. In his retirement, he was living in Kanfanar in southern Istria. During the summer months, he would go for a swim at a nearby beach almost every day. According to the news, he had a heart attack before he drowned. His departure is a shock to everyone, though. He was very much appreciated in all the parishes where he had served as a priest. The last time I saw him was four years ago at the presentation of a book about Motovun’s ancient statute in Hotel Kaštel (“The Motovun Statute,” October 8, 2016). Many people were there. As soon as he appeared at the event, everyone swarmed around him, me included. By way of consolation, he did not suffer for long. But I will remember our Buddhist priest till my last breath. A good man for true.