Zagreb, (IKA) – A commemoration of the 300 th anniversary of the birth of the Jesuit Ruđer Bošković, organized by the Croatian Academy of Engineering and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, was held on Tuesday, May 17, at the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb. The commemoration, under the auspices of the Croatian Parliament, the President of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Government was attended by the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Luka Bebić; the President of the Republic of Croatia, Ivo Josipović; and the representative of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Science, Education and Sports, Radovan Fuks. Together with numerous academicians, scientists, and public and cultural figures, and representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps accredited in the Republic of Croatia, the commemoration was also attended by representatives of the religious communities, including Bishop Mate Uzinić of Dubrovnik and Auxiliary Bishop Valentin Pozaić of Zagreb
Greeting those assembled, Minister Fuks emphasized the importance of the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of of Ruđer Bošković, a visionary Croatian scientist who made major contributions. Bošković’s sovereign mastery of many fields indebted Croatian and European science, said the minister, observing that every anniversary is also an opportunity to send a message about the value system of a society, i.e., through our attitude toward the present to demonstrate our attitude toward history. The present and past illuminate each other, so that dealing with the past is actually an interpretation of the present. Bošković’s excellence, dedication and European foundations are a message and invitation to our generation, and his currency and brilliance should provide impetus in today’s and future undertakings, concluded Minister Fuks.

The Speaker of Parliament, Luka Bebić, said that even 300 years after Bošković’s birth, he does not cease to amaze. Ruđer Bošković represents a genuine inspiration to scientists, as well as the general public. It is undisputed that he was an exceptional person, a genius of a caliber rarely born in far larger and more advanced nations. Perhaps what attracts us the most is his multitude of interests. By profession, he was a scientist, scholar, researcher, inventor, philosopher, diplomat and writer, and in terms of world view he was a cosmopolitan, patriot and great humanist.

The President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Ivo Josipović, noted that in the person of Ruđer Bošković were united, in a Renaissance manner, a member of the Society of Jesus, theologian, philosopher, mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, archaeologist, poet and diplomat. He was a professor at renowned European universities and a member of many academies of science. His versatility is also evident from the range of subjects that he investigated and the visionary undertakings in which he engaged. He was imaginative and witty. Sincerely and wholeheartedly devoted to the Jesuit Order, he persistently sought compromises between the teachings of the Church and then contemporary scientific results, said President Josipović, who also particularly emphasized Bošković’s patriotism. President Josipović concluded that through Bošković’s example, he showed that love of homeland is not measured by words but by deeds

During the second part of the commemoration, there were several short presentations about Ruđer Bošković. The Provincial of the Croatian Province of the Society of Jesus, Dr. Ivan Koprek, spoke about Ruđer Bošković’s life and priestly vocation, observing that it is not widely known that Bošković was a priest, religious and Jesuit. Jesuits, through their glorious but difficult five centuries of history, have indebted not only Croatian but also world science and spirituality. Many of them were inventors and scientists, preachers and teachers, saints and martyrs, missionaries and explorers. There is simply no area of science and culture in which they did not distinguish themselves. Such a spirit was Ruđer, said Dr. Koprek, and pointed out that he had done nothing different than other Jesuits. This was due to the charism of the Order, as taught by St. Ignatius, its founder. This charism wants to help the individual to become independent, liberated, and know how to connect reason and faith, to make good decisions.
Dr. Koprek also briefly spoke about the Bošković family, from which out of eight children, four chose religious life: Marija became a Dominican nun, Ignacije a Dominican monk, while Pavo and Ruđer were Jesuits. However, the other children also had an important role in Croatian cultural and general history: Petar was a writer and translator, and Anica is among the first great names in Croatian literature.
Furthermore, Dr. Koprek noted that Ruđer joined the Jesuit Order as a boy of 14.5 years of age, and underwent formation at the Collegium Romanum in Rome. By 1736, he had already acquired a solid scientific reputation and was invited by Pope Benedict XIV, together with other mathematicians, to repair a crack in the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Bošković was attracted by many things but was always focused upon the essential. He always attempted to see the mysterious structure, inner composition, the unknown and, in fact, the sacred. He was a scientist and innovator, priest and believer. He showed that reason and faith, i.e., science and faith, complement and interpenetrate each other, and in this sense he is current and brilliant, concluded Dr. Koprek
Ruđer Bošković’s contributions to astronomy, mathematics and engineering were discussed by Academician Žarko Dadić. His research in physics, geodesy and cartography, and instrument construction were presented by Prof. Stipe Kutleša. Prof. Ivica Martinović spoke about Bošković’s activities in the areas of philosophy, meteorology, archaeology, poetry and, especially, his devotion to Dubrovnik.
Students from the Music Academy of Zagreb participated in the musical part of the commemoration. An Ode to Ruđer Bošković, written on the 200th anniversary of Bošković’s birth by the Jesuit Petar Perica, was set to music by the young composer Domagoj Košćak, who accompanied the soprano Nikolina Pinko on the piano.
Epigrams by Ruđer Bošković set to music were sung by Paula Dražić Zekić, and the commemoration concluded with the first performance of a work entitled RB300.