Blessed Eduard Profittlich: Uniting Estonia in Faith and Hope VATICAN CITY \/ TALLINN, ESTONIA \u2014 Once known as one of the most secular nations in Europe, Estonia is quietly witnessing a renewal of faith. The country\u2019s small but growing Catholic community has been inspired by the witness of its first blessed \u2014 Blessed Eduard Profittlich \u2014 a German-born priest who gave his life for the Church during the Soviet occupation. Born in Germany, Profittlich served as Apostolic Administrator of Estonia, ministering to Catholics across the Baltic nation. When Soviet forces occupied Estonia, he refused to abandon his flock, declaring that a shepherd must share the fate of his people. His courage led to his arrest and imprisonment in a Soviet prison, where he died in 1942. On October 24, an Estonian delegation visited the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Leo XIV, carrying with them the memory and legacy of Blessed Profittlich. The meeting was both a moment of faith and a symbol of national unity. Archbishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan of the Diocese of Tallinn, led the group and recalled one of the most moving moments of their encounter with the Holy Father: \u201cHe spoke also about ecumenism, because there was among us also a strong group of people who are in great part Lutherans, and some of them without religion, but people who helped for the organization of the beatification of the Archbishop Profittlich. And so the Pope said: \u2018Your ecumenical relation is the best medicine against hatred.\u2019\u201d The Pope\u2019s words reflected a deep truth for Estonia, where history has long been marked by division between Catholics and Lutherans. Today, however, that division appears to be transforming into dialogue and shared purpose. Bishop Jourdan explained that the life and death of Blessed Profittlich have become a unifying force among Christians. \u201cThe saints divided us in the time of the Lutheran Reformation, the 16th century, and now really, I feel that the saints have the potential to unite again Catholics and Lutherans,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then the fact also that Profittlich, by the way he died, is a symbol. In every family, they were victims like that. Not everybody for the name of Christ, but it’s a symbol of the trauma suffered by the Estonian people in the Soviet time. And not only Estonians, but also the Russians living in Estonia.\u201d In a country where religion was once suppressed, faith is finding new ground. According to the national census, the share of Catholics in Estonia has doubled in a decade, rising from 0.4% in 2011 to 0.8% in 2021. Bishop Jourdan believes that this growth must be accompanied by deeper formation and pastoral care. \u201cYou can have a lot of people who have to be baptized and thanks to God, I think that in Northern Europe now there are many young people coming for baptism,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut if you don’t form them, it’s like, you know, putting seeds, but without water, without soil, it doesn’t really grow up. But in the case of Estonia, it’s a vital necessity. Because there are no traditional Catholics in our country, and so it’s a work with each one of them.\u201d From the prisons of the Soviet era to the pews of modern Tallinn, the legacy of Blessed Eduard Profittlich continues to bear fruit. His witness reminds Estonians \u2014 Catholic, Lutheran, and non-believer alike \u2014 that faith can survive even the harshest persecution and become the seed of a new unity. As Bishop Jourdan and the faithful of Estonia look to the future, the words of Pope Leo XIV echo as both a challenge and a promise: \u201cYour ecumenical relation is the best medicine against hatred.\u201d Adapted by Jacob Stein. Produced by Alexey Gotovskiy; Camera by Alberto Basile; Video Edited by Andrea Manna Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Andrea Manna Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article What is Happening at the Vatican Following the Death of Pope Benedict XVI Wikipedia had the wrong Vatican City flag for years. Now incorrect flags are everywhere Pope reportedly confirms he is taking away Burke\u2019s apartment, denies calling him his \u2018enemy\u2019 Vatican permits exclusively private devotion for alleged apparitions at Italian mountain Pope Francis’ Busy Schedule for the Easter Triduum Pope Francis: Keep The Hope That It Is Possible To Eradicate Human Trafficking<\/p>\n