The laying of the cornerstone in September 1990 marked the beginning of construction of the Church of the Good Shepherd, which lasted until April 1995. The cornerstone, carved in the shape of a lily, was made from the stones that fell off the bell tower of the Đakovo cathedral in the earthquake of 1964. This reinforced the connection between the cathedral as the “mother” of all churches in the Diocese and the new Church of the Good Shepherd. The construction of the church was contributed to by many parish members. The architect who designed the church was France Kvaternik.
The Church of the Good Shepherd is especially famous for its mosaic that fills the entire apse, a surface area of 60 square metres. The nine-meter-high mosaic is dominated by the figure of Jesus the Good Shepherd. This is an artwork of exceptional beauty and originality, and its dimensions make it the largest one found in a parish church in this region. What is interesting are the elements incorporated in the mosaic by its author, academic painter Vladimir Meglić. It contains as much as 1,000 kilograms of glass, in 66 colours, made in Spilimbergo, Italy, in the workshop of the Donà family. Glass pieces were glued together with ceramic glue mixed with fresh cow’s milk cheese.
