Church of St. Anselm and Chapel of St. Marcela – Patrons of the Royal City of Nin

Built in the 6th century, it was renovated by King Zvonimir in 1070. Throughout its history, the church was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, with its final reconstruction in the 18th century giving it its current appearance.

The Church Treasury, “Gold and Silver of the City of Nin,” is located in the adjacent Chapel of St. Marcella or Our Lady of Zečevo, which dates back to the 15th century. The chapel also houses a statue of the Madonna and Child and a Renaissance tombstone of the Nin bishop Juraj Divnić. The statue was moved to Zadar in 1646 to escape the Venetian invasion and was returned to the Chapel of St. Marcella ten years later.

The bell tower, located west of the church, is built of hewn stone and is presumed to be from the 13th century. It was reconstructed in the 17th century.

In Nin, the Mother of God, worshipped as Our Lady of Zečevo, is especially honored. Today, the Feast of Our Lady is a major celebration of the Zadar Archdiocese.

St. Anselm

St. Anselm is the main patron of Nin and the former Nin Diocese. He is the patron of philosophers and theologians. According to centuries-old tradition, he was one of the seventy disciples of Christ, and the founder and first bishop of the Church in Nin.

After Christ’s resurrection, he went to preach the gospel in Gaul. From there, he traveled to modern-day Croatia with his companion and deacon Ambrose and Marcella, where he converted many to Christianity. The former Nin Cathedral is dedicated to him, and his remains are kept there in silver and gold reliquaries.

In the earliest depictions, St. Anselm appears as an orans (praying figure) in a chasuble, with a prominent tonsure, and then as a benedicens (blessing figure) with a book in his left hand. In later works, he is shown with a miter on his head, a book in his hand, and his right hand raised in a blessing.

St. Marcella

Along with St. Anselm, she is the patron saint of the city of Nin. According to Nin tradition, Marcella was a companion of St. Martha and her brother Lazarus, who, after Christ’s resurrection, set out to sea in a boat and miraculously arrived in Marseilles.

Legend has it that Marcella, together with St. Martha, first preached the gospel in Gaul. After St. Martha’s death, she wrote her biography and then traveled to Croatia, where, along with Anselm, she founded the Nin Church. Near the church dedicated to her, there was once a convent for nuns in Nin.

According to tradition, she is also the woman from the people who, according to the Gospel of Luke, cried out to Jesus: “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that you nursed!”

She is also called Mary Negra. This is a shortened name for Mary Energumena, which means “possessed” in Greek, suggesting that she is actually the same person as Mary Magdalene, “from whom seven demons had come out,” according to the Gospels of Luke and Mark.

She has no specific visual symbols in art but is recognized by the adorans (worshipper) pose, with her hands spread wide across her chest.