It has now been a full year since Pastor Darko Pirija, our dear colleague, professor, and academic registrar of the Adriatic Union College, passed away too early, leaving us all in deep sorrow. Although, by God’s grace, we continue our work with enthusiasm, the void left by Darko is keenly felt in the life and work of our College and campus at Maruševec. As a long-serving lecturer, dean, and academic registrar of the College, he left a profound mark on the development of this key Adventist educational institution within the Adriatic Union Conference.
Darko Pirija was born on 9 May 1967 into the family of Ivan and Ankica Pirija. Growing up in a pastoral family, together with his brother Miro, Darko experienced life in ministry early on as his family served in many churches across the Croatian Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He attended the Adventist Secondary School Maruševec, where he deepened his love for God and learned about Him. This led him, upon graduation, to pursue further studies at the theological seminary in Maruševec, the Adriatic Union College, after which he went on to Newbold College in England, where he spent several years studying, working, and living, ultimately earning a Master’s degree in Theology, with a specialisation in the New Testament.
After completing his studies, he returned to Croatia, where he began teaching New Testament subjects at the Adriatic Union College, as well as holding Religious Education and English classes at the Adventist Secondary School Maruševec. Alongside this, he completed his pastoral internship in Zagreb and continued to serve churches in the Maruševec area. For a time, he served as the pastor of the local church in Čakovec. He was ordained to the ministry in 2006. From that time until the end of his life, he faithfully served as the academic registrar of the Adriatic Union College and a lecturer of numerous theological subjects at the same institution.
Darko was a professor to many generations of theology students, who are now pastors, church administrators, theologians, and biblical scholars in various countries around the world. Through his ministry as a pastor, lecturer, author, translator, and editor of theological literature (including the College’s academic journal Biblical Perspectives), he made an invaluable contribution to the development of theological thought in Croatia and beyond.
As a passionate lover of theology, he was both the organiser and a regular participant in theological symposia in Europe and America, such as ETTC, AAR, and SBL, and was well-liked by colleagues from all over the world. As a member of numerous theological societies, such as EASTRS, Society of Adventist Philosophers, ATS, and ASRS, Darko was tireless not only in networking but also in mentoring and counselling younger colleagues.
Despite suffering from a severe longtime illness, he continued serving with all his heart, doing what he loved most until nearly his last day. As one of his students, now also a member of the College staff, said, “Though he battled a painful illness for many years, I never once saw him irritable or harsh in his dealings with others. He was always gentle, kind, approachable, and ready to share advice and the life wisdom he had gained, often sprinkled with intelligent humour and his characteristic benevolent laugh. In short, Darko was a man who, no matter how much life bent him, always lifted others up.”
We would be inconsolable if we did not await the same Day in which Darko believed and prepared others for. But, “we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Until that moment, though we can never replace Darko, we will honour his legacy best by serving with all our hearts and continuing to develop this College, into which Darko invested his entire life.
This tribute was written by Neven Klačmer and Matija Kovačević.
