Josip Juraj Strossmayer, born in Osijek on November 4th, 1815, was a deacon bishop, educator, Croatian politician and great patron of education, culture and the arts. Throughout his life, Strossmayer devoted himself to education and faith. When he was only 20, he became a doctor of philosophy, and five years later a doctor of theology. During his student days, he developed an interest in politics and became an active participant in Croatian political life, supporting the People's Party. After a few years in politics, he became the leader of the People's Party, which advocated the unification of the Slavic peoples into a common state. Strossmayer has left a deep mark in education, culture and science. In 1850, he became a bishop of the student, and during his episcopal term he achieved several significant things. The thing that stands out is his support for the Bosnian Franciscans stands out and his commitment to improving the position of the faithful. He also participated in the establishment of the Croatian Church Province. But what Strossmayer is best known for, is his vision of building a magnificent cathedral. Although many previous bishops also dreamed about it, only Strossmayer managed to realize that idea. For years he researched, taught and traveled to gather ideas and find the best experts to build his historic cathedral. His ambition was for the cathedral to be something unprecedented, and in his ideas he managed to achieve that ambition. His cathedral became an icon not only of the city of Đakovo, but of the whole of Slavonia, considered the most beautiful cathedral between Venice and Istanbul.