The Apostolic Nunciature in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. appointed Miro Relota, O.F.M., from the Franciscan Province of the Holy Cross – Bosnia Srebrena, Military Ordinary in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Episcopal ordination of Msgr. Relote is scheduled for February 14, 2026 in the Sarajevo Cathedral. The previous apostolic administrator of the Military Ordinariate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić, on a solemn occasion in the Archbishop’s residence in Sarajevo, congratulated Msgr. Reloti, emphasizing that the new ordinary will be a spiritual support for the faithful and priests of the Military Ordinariate, reports KTA.
Fra Miro Relota thanked the Holy Father, the apostolic nuncio and Archbishop Vukšić, his Franciscan province and community, and all the priests and believers with whom he cooperated. He emphasized his readiness to serve the members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and members of the Military Ordinariate, and appealed for unity, prayer and constructive cooperation in his future activities.
Fra Miro Martin Relota was born on July 1, 1965 in Gusta Grab, parish of St. Anton Padovanski, Busovača. After elementary school and seminary high school in Visoko, he studied philosophical and theological studies in Nedžarići, Sarajevo, and the last year in Italy, at the Santa Fara Seminary in Bari. He took his solemn vows in 1990, and was ordained a priest on March 19, 1991 in the Diocese of Bari-Bitonto.
During his 26 years of pastoral service in Italy, he held the positions of pastor, clergy educator, guardian, provincial definitor, and vice-rector for the Holy Land and delegate for emigrants in Toronto and New York. He also led the cause of the canonization of blessed Jakov Zadranin.
In 2015, he returned to the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, where he was a chaplain, parish priest and guard at the Holy Spirit Monastery in Fojnica, a confessor at the seminary in Sarajevo, and a seminarian and member of the provincial administration. He also performed the duties of general visitor, missionary of mercy and external confessor of theologians and nuns.
Miro Relota is currently the deputy leader for the deacon year of friars and diocesan candidates for the priesthood in BiH and a member of the provincial administration, according to the Apostolic Nunciature.
