During the early modern period a situation in the Church of Imota was very complex due to the fact that the Turks did not support the Catholic Church. Priests were often opressed and accused of encouraging people against the state. Franciscans and Glagolitic priests were the ones who fought the hardest to preserve faith in difficult times under Turkish authority. A monastery in Imotski was built around 1300 on a spring of the river Vrljika, but later it was relocated on a safer location Otočić in Proložac. Franciscans often left the monastery because a danger from the Turks was still present. Final departure happened in 1775 when they left to Omiš where they planned to build a monastery. Later, they actually did it because Turkish people did not represent danger anymore. After liberation of Imotski from Turkish authority in 1778, a religious life flourished again because Venetian Republic allowed construction of new churches and there were no particular restrictions. Venetians built a small church Gospe od Anđela, who is a patron of the town, on the entrance of a fortress Topana. According to the fact it was the only church in Imotski, it was often overcrowded so Venetians founded a new parish in Imotski. It was for local people, while soldiers went to the church on Topana. By establishment of a new parish, there was a demand for a new church. Construction started in 1727 but, due to a difficult financial situation, it was not finished until 1736. The next step of Franciscans was to relocate the monastery from Omiš to Imotski, but they faced certain problems because Stipan Blašković, Bishop of Makarska, opposed to that. After taking into consideration arguments of both sides, Venetians allowed the relocation because Franciscans did not break any Church rules. In these rules it is clearly said that a monastery can be relocated without a bishop's permission. Monastery in Imotski was offically declared on 2 August 1738 by a priest Stjepan Vrljić. He built a ground floor of a monastery which was later enlarged by a priest Šimun Gudelj. Franciscans contributed a lot to the religious life and they are the most significant people in this period of Church history in Imota. The monastery was not completely finished until 1856 because of the complex political situation in Dalmatia.