The topic of this thesis is the systematic overview of the emergence and development of the major seminaries, based on the historical data and legal facts. The thesis is thematically divided into three chapters. In each chapter, the descriptive comparative method is used to present the topic of the thesis. The first chapter presents the history of the major seminaries, starting from the early Christianity, through the Council of Trent to the Second Vatican Council and nowadays. Along with the historical facts, there are also listed some legal documents which describe particular historical moments of the major seminary development. In the second chapter, some canons, from the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which concern the legal development of the major seminaries are elaborated in detail. In order to notice particular legal shifts or omissions, some canons are compared to the 1917 Code of Canon Law. The findings in this chapter are confirmed by legal documents based on the Canon itself. In the third chapter, the Theological Seminary in Đakovo is presented as an example of the major seminary. The chapter presents crucial historical moments of the founding and development of the seminary and also, the education of the cadets to the present day. The chapter systematically presents the comparison of the Theological Seminary in Đakovo's Statutes from 1961 and 2006. The thesis ends with the conclusion which emphasizes the importance of legal terminology and conducting of the canons from the 1983 Code of Canon Law and legal documents within Croatian Bishops' Conference.