Six men have been bishop of Mostar-Duvno; the first two bishops were Franciscan friars – Paškal Buconjić, who served 29 years, from 1881 to 1910,[5] and was also the last apostolic vicar of Herzegovina,[6] and Alojzije Mišić, who served for 30 years, from 1912 to 1942.[7] The first secular priest appointed bishop was Petar Čule who had the longest tenure of 38 years, serving from 1942 to 1980.[8] His successor Pavao Žanić reigned for 13 years, from 1980 to 1993,[9] marking the shortest episcopacy. His successor Ratko Perić held the episcopal office for 27 years, from 1993 to 2020, when he was succeeded by the incumbent bishop Petar Palić.[10]
A Franciscan, Buconjić was a chaplain (1871–1873) and a parish priest (1873–1874) in Drinovci; custos of the Franciscan Province of Herzegovina (1874–1879); guardian of the Franciscan friary in Humac, Ljubuški (1879–1881). In 1880–1881, he served as both the apostolic vicar of Herzegovina and the titular bishop of Magydus. During his episcopate, the Apostolic Vicariate of Herzegovina was abolished and in its place, the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno was established, with him as the first bishop. During his rule, in 1890, the bishops of Mostar-Duvno became also the apostolic administrators of Trebinje-Mrkan.
A Franciscan, Mišić served as a chaplain (1882–1884) in Banja Luka; secretary of the Bishop of Banja Luka (1884–1891); guardian of the Franciscan friary and a parish priest in Petrićevac (1891–1894); parish priest in Bihać (1894–1803); guardian and a parish priest in Petrićevac (1903—1907); provincial of the Franciscan Province of Bosnia (1909–1912). He served as the bishop during World War I and the initial years of World War II.
Served as an archivist in the Episcopal Ordinariate (1926–1942) and secretary to the bishop of Mostar-Duvno (1937–1942). He served as the bishop during World War II and under the communist regime in Yugoslavia. He constructed the Mostar cathedral. After leaving the office, he was appointed the titular bishop of Giulfi.
Served as a parish priest in Šolta (1941–1952), Rogotin (1952–59) and the Split Cathedral (1959–1969); canon of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska (1959–1965); provost of the Archdiocese of Split-Makarska (1965–1970); bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Mostar-Duvno (1970–1980). Serving as the bishop of Mostar-Duvno, he was also the apostolic administrator of Dubrovnik (1988–1990). He served as the bishop during the alleged Marianapparitions in Medjugorje and during the democratic transition and the early years of the Bosnian War.
Served as a parish priest in Trebinje (1971–1974); rector of the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome (1979–1992); bishop coadjutor of Mostar-Duvno (1992–1993). He served as the bishop during the Bosnian War. He briefly served as the apostolic administrator after the appointment of his successor from July to September 2020.
Served as a secretary to the bishop of Dubrovnik (1995–05); parish priest in Dobl (2008–2009); pastoral vicar (2009–2011) and a general vicar (2011–2017) of the bishop of Dubrovnik; secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Croatia (2017–2020); bishop of Hvar-Brač-Vis (2018–2020); apostolic administrator of Hvar-Brač-Vis (2020–2021).
Babić, Anđelko (2018). "Dr. Petar Čule – životni put" [Dr. Petar Čule – life path]. Hercegovina (in Croatian). 4: 327–356.
Nikić, Andrija (1979). "Osnivanje Apostolskog vikarijata u Hercegovini" [Establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate in Herzegovina]. Croatica Christiana Periodica (in Croatian). 3 (3): 21–50.
Perić, Ratko (2009). "Imenovanje don Petra Čule mostarsko-duvanjskim biskupom" [Appointment of Fr. Petar Čule as Bishop of Mostar and Duvno]. Službeni vjesnik (in Croatian) (1): 77–89.
Vrankić, Petar (2016). "Izbori i imenovanja biskupa u Hercegovini u doba austro-ugarske vladavine (1878. - 1918.) na primjeru biskupa fra Paškala Buconjića" [Elections and appointments of bishops in Herzegovina during the Austrian-Hungarian rule (1878–1918) on the example of Bishop Fr. Paškal Buconjić]. Hercegovina (in Croatian). 2: 109–140.
Vrankić, Petar (2018). "Izbori i imenovanja biskupa u Hercegovini u doba austro-ugarske vladavine (1878. - 1918.) na primjeru biskupa fra Alojzija Mišića" [Elections and appointments of bishops in Herzegovina during the Austrian-Hungarian rule (1878–1918) on the example of Bishop Fr. Alojzije Mišić (1912)]. Hercegovina (in Croatian). 4: 243–286.
"Preminuo biskup Pavao Žanić" [Bishop Pavao Žanić passed away]. Informativna katolička agencija (in Croatian). 12 January 2000. Retrieved 27 February 2022.