Dear brothers and sisters!
I am very pleased to inform you that on December 18, 2024, Pope Francis granted permission for the beatification of God's servant, Archbishop Eduard Profittlich SJ (1890-1942)..
The beatification will take place according to the rules of the Holy See in a few months, and we will inform you in advance. This concludes the beatification process that has lasted for 21 years..
I thank all the people who have participated in this process, who have presented their testimonies in writing or orally, who have acknowledged the numerous graces or blessings they received when they turned to the intercession of God's servant Eduard Profittlich. As Pope Francis writes: “The processes of beatification and canonization recognize the signs of heroic virtue, the sacrifice of life in martyrdom, and certain cases where life has been continuously, even unto death, sacrificed for others. This demonstrates an exemplary imitation of Christ, which deserves the admiration of the faithful.” (Gaudete et exsultate, 5).
This beatification is the first in the history of the Estonian Catholic Church and also one of the first in the entire Nordic region since the 16th century. This does not mean that sainthood is a rare phenomenon in our church. I am convinced that sainthood is much more common than we think. What is rare is not sainthood itself, but the long process by which the Church decides to declare someone a saint, martyr, or blessed after a very thorough and detailed examination of the person's life and deeds. Sainthood itself is the goal of every Christian's life, as Scripture teaches us: "God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love" (Eph 1:4) and the teaching authority of the Church: "All believers in Christ, regardless of their status or rank, are called to perfection in Christian life and to fullness in love" (Lumen Gentium, 40), and when God gives someone a calling, He also provides all the means that person needs for the goal of sainthood to be specifically and practically achievable..
How to better prepare for the upcoming beatification?
September 26, 2024, and December 18, 2024, have consecutively marked two significant moments in the history of the Catholic Church in Estonia: the new diocese and the first beatification. We have reason to be very grateful to God and to Pope Francis, who has been a worthy instrument of God's will. We have waited a hundred years for a new diocese, and the official beatification of Archbishop Profittlich has lasted a total of 21 years (actually longer, as the research began in 1991). God decided to answer both of our prayers almost at the same time. Let us rejoice and be thankful for this.!
Therefore, after consulting with the priests working in Estonia, I want to declare a year of thanksgiving in the Diocese of Tallinn, which will begin on December 18, 2024, the day the decree of Pope Francis is issued, and will end on February 22, 2026, the first anniversary of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich's death after his beatification. I believe that the best way to approach the Christmas season is to be in a spirit of gratitude. Thanksgiving has always played a very significant role in Christian spirituality. Christmas itself is a feast of gratitude. We await the return of Christ and give thanks for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem..
Each of us, every congregation, could find a way to better express our gratitude for all that has been given to us by God. Not only through great events, but also through the everyday ordinary life and Christian life. This could include, for example, votive masses in congregations, rosary prayers, and other forms of piety. And of course, the Church now encourages us to frequently turn to the future blessed Edward Profittlich for intercession and to entrust to him our needs, desires, problems, and thanks..
In conclusion, let us remember that a special moment in Archbishop Eduard Profittlich's life was when he decided to share the fate of so many Estonians who were also imprisoned and perished in concentration camps in Kirov or elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, following the Pope's suggestion. May the beatification of Archbishop Profittlich be a special opportunity to remember them and to thank them in prayer for their sacrifice.
May the Jesus Child bless all of you and your loved ones! May He protect us from all troubles and free us from our current trials. I wish you a very holy and joyful Christmas. !
+ Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn
In Tallinn, December 18, 2024.
