Tallinn: Estonia’s small but vibrant Catholic community is preparing for a historic moment this weekend as Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, SJ, the former Apostolic Administrator of the country, will be beatified in a solemn ceremony at Tallinn’s Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. The event marks the first beatification in Lutheran-majority Nordic Europe in four centuries, and carries profound meaning for both Catholics and the wider Estonian society.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna, will preside at the Beatification Mass on Saturday, September 6. The celebration, postponed earlier this year following the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV, now represents both a long-awaited joy and a powerful witness of Christian unity.
Bishop Philippe Jourdan, head of the Diocese of Tallinn, said Archbishop Profittlich’s beatification is a moment of credibility for the Church in a country where Catholics make up only a tiny minority. “It is not about prestige,” he explained. “It shows that holiness is possible, and that the Church preaches Christ not just with words but with lives that reflect His Gospel.”
He noted that, historically, saints were a cause of division in the aftermath of the Reformation, when Protestant traditions rejected the practice of seeking their intercession. Today, however, the bishop sees saints as bridges of dialogue. “There is genuine interest from civil leaders and Lutheran Christians,” he said, adding that Profittlich’s witness speaks to the whole nation.
Born in Germany in 1890, Eduard Profittlich joined the Jesuits, studied in Poland, and was sent to Estonia in 1931. Determined to build a Church rooted in local life, he learned Estonian fluently and became the first Catholic priest to write and preach extensively in the native language. At a time when Estonian Catholicism was dominated by German and Polish heritage, his efforts earned respect across the wider society and established deeper credibility for the Church.
When Soviet forces occupied Estonia in 1940, Profittlich knew his life was in danger. Offered the chance to return safely to Germany, he instead wrote to Pope Pius XII, seeking guidance. The Pope advised him to act for the good of the Church, and Profittlich discerned that his duty was to remain with his flock.
In 1941, he was arrested by Soviet authorities, deported to Siberia, and sentenced to death. Before the sentence was carried out, he succumbed to harsh conditions and illness in Kirov prison on February 22, 1942. His decision to share in the suffering of the Estonian people, said Bishop Jourdan, revealed the depth of his pastoral love. “He became Estonian not by the blood he received, but by the blood he gave.”
Marge-Marie Paas, diocesan communications director and postulator of the cause, said the beatification is not only for Catholics. “Lutheran, Baptist, and Orthodox faithful will join us, as well as government leaders,” she noted. “It is a moment for the whole country to reflect on faith and peace, which were Archbishop Profittlich’s motto.”
Delegations from neighboring Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Germany will attend, including members of Profittlich’s family. They will bring with them his final letter, written before his death, which will be presented as a relic during the Mass.
For Estonia’s Catholics, the beatification is both a gift and a responsibility. Profittlich’s martyrdom, said Paas, reminds believers that holiness is concrete and lived in daily fidelity. “He served others with humility and remained faithful to Christ even when it meant giving his life,” she said.
The recognition of Archbishop Profittlich as Blessed, in the heart of a land long marked by religious divisions, may now become a seed of unity. As Bishop Jourdan put it, “He shows us that holiness is not bound by nationality, but by the courage to love, to remain, and to give one’s life for others.”