Grgur Ninski Statue, Split (must see)

May Gregory of Nin's Big Toe bring you good fortune. That's a nice thought. But you must go to Split and rub Gregory's big toe. Grigur Ninski (Gregory of Nin), was the Bishop of Nin in 926. Rome thought him a dangerous radical. He wanted to preach in the language of the people, since almost no one understood Latin, a condition that persists to this day.

Croatians consider Gregory as the defender of Croation language and culture. The City of Split has a huge statue of him (28 feet high). The statue was sculpted in 1929 by Ivan Mestrovic. The statue was in the center of Diocletian's Palace until 1941, when it was moved by Italian occupation forces. In 1954 it was moved to the City's Golden Gate.

Gregory is bronze and dark except for his big toe. It is worn smooth and golden by constant rubbings of tourists, travelers, pilgrims and local people. Croatians are said to believe that rubbing the toe will grant their wishes. Every day, for as long as Gregory has guarded the Golden Gate, the faithful have rubbed his toe.