Cardinal Schönborn to beatify Estonian Archbishop Profittlich in May

By Marge-Marie Paas – Tallinn*

The Diocese of Tallinn, Estonia, announced on Tuesday that on December 18, 2024, Pope Francis approved the beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, SJ (1890-1942) and the beatification will take place on May 17, 2025 in Old Town Square of Tallinn.

The Pope's representative, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., will come to Tallinn for the beatification and will lead the beatification rite during the Holy Mass.

This is a historic event for Estonia and the Estonian people. Archbishop Profittlich, following Pope Pius XII’s suggestion and staying true to himself and God, decided to share the common fate of so many Estonians in the period following the Soviet occupation of Estonia.

The Apostolic Administrator of Estonia stayed in the country alongside the people and Church that he loved so much. Even though he had the opportunity to leave for his native Germany, he remained faithful to his vocation and God until the end. However, this led to his martyrdom in Kirov prison in Soviet Russia on February 22, 1942.

Speaking about the beatification, Bishop Philippe Jourdan of Tallinn said his predecessor offers a heroic witness of faith.

“The beatification is an event in which the Church publicly acknowledges the extraordinary life and fidelity to God of Archbishop Profittlich,” he said. “Participating in this ceremony gives us the opportunity to experience holiness and to deepen our personal relationship with God. Above all, we honour Archbishop Eduard Profittlich as a heroic witness of faith during the Soviet persecution, who gave his life to remain faithful to Christ.”

The Catholic Church in Estonia has been waiting for this day for a long time, as this beatification has been proceeding for over 21 years.

It is the first in the history of the Estonian Catholic Church, and one of the first in the Nordic countries after the 16th century.

This decision of the Pope has a significant meaning for the whole of Estonia. Archbishop Profittlich’s episcopal motto was ‘Faith and Peace’, and he is encouraging us to keep faith and peace in our hearts always, even during the most challenging times.

The beatification will take place in the Jubilee Year 2025 of the universal Catholic Church, a tradition that dates to the year 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII invited all believers to celebrate the first Jubilee with the Church.

Life of service to God

Eduard Profittlich was born in Birresdorf, Germany. After studying philosophy and theology in Valkenburg, Profittlich moved to Poland in 1922 where he studied philosophy and theology at doctoral level. He then worked as a parish priest in Poland and Germany.

In 1930, he was sent to Estonia to serve and build the Catholic Church. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Estonia in 1931, and was later named archbishop by Pope Pius XII in 1936.

Eduard Profittlich gained Estonian citizenship, and he learned the Estonian language well, becoming a patriot of Estonian culture and people.

Thanks in large part to the dedication of Archbishop Profittlich, the pastoral work of the Catholic Church in Estonia reached a new level.

Soviet authorities arrested Profittlich in June 1941 and sent him to Kirov prison in Siberia, where he was sentenced to death.

Archbishop Profittlich died in Kirov on February 22, 1942, before his sentence was carried out.

* Communications Director of the Diocese of Tallinn