Pavao Žanić (20 May 1918 – 11 January 2010) was a prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Mostar-Duvno and apostolic administrator of Trebinje-Mrkan from 1980 until his retirement in 1993.

Žanić was born in Kaštel Novi (present-day Croatia) to father Jerko and mother Tona née Franić.

Following his wish to become a priest, at the delight of his parents, he was sent to a classical gymnasium in Split, where he spent eight years, where he was also prominent for his talent, work and religiosity.

Bishop Frane Franić issued a decree on 24 August 1959, appointing Žanić the parish priest of the Split cathedral.

Žanić was actively involved in the completion of the Cathedral of Mary Mother of the Church in Mostar and served for many years as president of the Yugoslav Bishops' Conference Council for the Family.

He also led pilgrimages to Lourdes and Fatima, established a monthly diocesan periodical, and constructed a retirement home for priests.

[5] In 1984 he led a symposium on the historical and pastoral significance of the Diocese of Trebinje–Mrkan and was instrumental in the Holy See's designating the Church of the Birth of Mary in Trebinje a cathedral.

On the occasion of the Golden Anniversary of his ordination, Pope John Paul II sent to him:We are aware of the hardships and troubles of your pastoral ministry that have made your burden even more bitter, however, you have never been deprived of fearless faith; indeed, your love for everyone, as well as your great devotion and your diligence in choosing and educating young men who are called to the Lord’s service have grown to a great extent.

[6] After Herzegovina became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Pope Leo XIII took steps to establish dioceses and appoint local bishops.

As part of re-establishing normal church structures, the bishops worked to transfer parishes from the Franciscans to the diocesan clergy, but the friars resisted.

[7] In June 1975 Pope Paul VI issued Romanis Pontificibus, a papal decree indicating which parishes the Franciscans were allowed to retain and which to turn over to diocesan administration.

Because of the growing gatherings at the reported vision site, the authorities implemented a state of emergency and started persecuting those who supported the alleged apparitions.

[11] According to Randall Sullivan, in the beginning, Zanic was sympathetic and protective of the young visionaries and on July 25, 1981, he made a statement to the press: "No one has forced them or influenced them in any manner.

[14] On 14 January 1982, Žanić was visited by two visionaries who conveyed to him the alleged message from the Madonna that he was "acting rashly" by asking the two Franciscans to be transferred.

In April 1986 Žanić went to Rome to submit his negative report of the apparitions to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was at the time Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

[30][31] Daniel Klimek wrote that "Ratzinger summoned him to a personal meeting and reportedly chastised the bishop, telling him that he disapproved of his methods of investigation.

According to Daniel Klimek, the Prefect of the CDF ordered Žanić to suspend his negative judgment, dissolve his commission, and place the entire matter of the investigation into the hands of the Holy See.

Daniel Kimek wrote that the members of the Ruini Commission not only include several bishops and cardinals but also academic experts in "spirituality, Mariology, theology, psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis.