Fra Mijo Kotaraš was born on 11 June 1867 in Topolje near Knin, to the family of Stjepan and Simeuna Kotaraš. Although his father wanted his son Nikola to become an Orthodox priest, Nikola converted to Catholicism during his schooling in Sinj and entered the Franciscan order under the name Mijo. After completing the Franciscan Gymnasium in 1885, he studied philosophy and theology in Šibenik, Zaostrog and Makarska, and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1890.
Fra Mijo Kotaraš was active in Dalmatian Zagora, particularly in the towns of Otok, Sinj, Imotski and Kijevo. His work encompassed construction, education, social engagement and politics. He served as chaplain in Drniš from 1893 to 1895, then as parish priest in Kijevo until 1899, where he built and expanded church facilities. As guardian and parish priest in Imotski from 1900 to 1904, he completed and consecrated the Church of St Francis of Assisi on 1 August 1904.
He worked in Otok from 1908 to 1917, where he established the Rural Savings Bank and erected a monument to the locals who fell in the fight against the Ottomans in 1715. He also built the Church of St Roch in Udovičići. In Sinj, he served as guardian for two terms, from 1905 to 1908 and from 1919 to 1923, during which he built a new wing of the Franciscan Monastery in 1905 and arranged the interior of the existing building. He also oversaw construction work on the new building of the Franciscan Classical Gymnasium in Sinj and in 1922 blessed the land and laid the foundations for the Croatian Catholic Home.
Fra Mijo Kotaraš was also politically engaged, supporting the Rightists from 1905, and from 1919 he was a member of the Croatian People's Party. As guardian of Sinj, he advocated for the development of the road network and the reclamation of the Sinj field, and served as a municipal councillor in Sinj. His engagement and character earned him the nickname "Eagle of Cetinje". However, he was in conflict with the leadership of the Viteška Alka Society, particularly with Vico Grabovac.
The memory of Fra Mijo Kotaraš was marked by a scientific symposium held on 7 November 2026 at the Franciscan Monastery of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj in Sinj. It was organised by the Franciscan Province of the Most Holy Redeemer and the monastery, with the co-organisation of the Catholic Faculty of Theology at the University of Split. The symposium ran from 9:00 to 12:45, during which nine speakers addressed various aspects of the life and work of Fra Mijo Kotaraš. The event was held at Fratarski prolaz 4 in Sinj.
