Beatification is a significant ecclesial act which acknowledges Archbishop Eduard Profittlich’s sanctity of life and martyrdom.
September 6, 2025 marks a new and joyful chapter in the history of Estonia and the Church, when our Archpastor and martyr was beatified in Tallinn, on Freedom Square. This historic event is an invaluable gift to our entire nation, affirming the message that love and faith are stronger than death and violence.
Archbishop Profittlich’s Beatification highlights that even the small Estonian Church has a faithful and great witness to offer to the entire Universal Church.
Beatification is an official ecclesiastical act that recognizes the sanctity of a person’s life and their martyrdom. It is a significant confirmation that the individual has reached heaven and may now be offered public veneration. In the case of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, this event carries a powerful message: love and faith are stronger than death and violence. This is not merely a historical remembrance, but a bright sign of the triumph of faith and hope over darkness and persecution.
In the ecclesiastical procedure for recognizing a saint, there are three main steps, where a candidate first becomes “Venerable”, then “Blessed”, and finally “Saint”. A candidate is named “Venerable” when the Pope has recognized their virtuous life, and in the next step, they are declared “Blessed,” which literally means “happy” in Greek. Unlike the usual process, which requires a miracle for one to become a saint, in the case of martyrs, their heroic sacrifice of life is the basis. The final stage is canonization, which extends the veneration of the individual to the entire universal Church.
Martyrdom gives special significance to Profittlich’s path to sanctity, where the word “martyr” means “witness” in Greek. A martyr is a person who, through the sacrifice of their life, witnesses to the love they believed in, and theologically, it is a gift from God to those who have always lived in Jesus. This is the highest form of holiness, where a person’s complete freedom is expressed in surrendering their life in the name of Christ and the Church. Profittlich’s courage to remain with his flock even in the most difficult circumstances was an evangelical witness of the greatest love.
The role of the Blessed and the Saints is to be our heavenly protectors and examples in faith, love, and mercy. They are mediators who unite the earthly Church with the heavenly, taking our concerns into their ceaseless intercessions before God’s throne. The beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich highlights that even the small Church in Estonia has a great witness to offer to the entire universal Church. This event reminds us that everyone is called to holiness and can express divine love in their daily lives.
After beatification, the individual may be mentioned in liturgical prayers and their memorial day celebrated annually. The memorial day for Blessed Eduard Profittlich has been pontifically confirmed as February 21st. This recognition calls believers to follow his example of faithfulness in both great deeds and small daily matters. Beatification opens a new and joyful chapter in the history of our Church, being a gift to the entire Estonian people.
Eduard Profittlich was beatified because he heroically remained faithful to his flock when he renounced the opportunity to return to Germany and stayed with his faithful under Soviet occupation, guided by the principle: “Where the flock is, there is also the chief shepherd.”
His death, which occurred on February 22, 1942, in Kirov prison, has been officially confirmed as a martyrdom, symbolizing the triumph of love and faith over violence and death.
Profittlich lived his episcopal ministry with profound humility, discipline, and great courage, faithfully bearing his episcopal motto “Faith and Peace” (Fides et Pax) even in the harshest prison conditions. Even when the external hope of escaping with his life vanished, he maintained an unwavering spirit of prayer and trust in God, affirming in his spiritual testament that life and death for Christ are “infinitely beautiful.”
This historical event is significant because it highlights that even the small Catholic Church in Estonia has a faithful witness to offer to the entire Universal Church, providing comfort and a spiritual example to all the faithful.
The beatification process of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, which required 21 years of exhaustive and thorough investigative work, officially began in 2002 and reached its solemn culmination on September 6, 2025, when he was declared Estonia’s first blessed martyr in Freedom Square, Tallinn.
The year 2019 marked a significant turning point in the beatification process of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, when the official diocesan inquiry phase in Estonia concluded. This stage culminated in a solemn closing ceremony where Bishop Philippe Jourdan of Tallinn and Pedro Cervio, a member of the diocesan tribunal, signed the final documents, confirming the authenticity of the collected materials and the thoroughness of the investigation.
In Rome, the thorough examination and scientific evaluation of the collected materials began. To manage the process and review the documentation, key individuals were appointed: Jesuit Pascual Cebollada became the Postulator in Rome and the experienced Father Szczepan Praśkiewicz from the Dicastery became the Relator for the process. Marge Paas continued her work in Rome as Vice-Postulator.
Pope Francis granted official permission for the Servant of God Archbishop Eduard Profittlich to be beatified as a martyr. This historic decision was the final canonical step that confirmed the sanctity of the Archbishop's life and his martyrdom out of love for Christ and the Church, also serving as the culmination of a thorough beatification process lasting 21 years. The papal decree recognized Profittlich as 'a shepherd after Christ's own heart,' who did not abandon his flock during the Soviet persecution but consciously chose the path of sacrifice, confirming his fidelity unto death in Kirov prison.
This permission meant that Eduard Profittlich became the first Catholic in Estonian history to be beatified in the Land of Mary, which is an invaluable gift and recognition for the entire local faith community and the nation.
This significant step heralded a spiritual spring in the Church in Estonia, confirming the message that love and faith are stronger than violence and death.
This historic grand event was the first beatification in Terra Mariana, bringing together thousands of faithful, public officials, and guests from Estonia and abroad. The solemn Mass was celebrated by Pope Leo XIV's representative and delegate, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, who read the apostolic letter, counting the martyr Archbishop Eduard Profittlich among the blessed. The venue of the event was profoundly symbolic, taking place in the same location where Pope Francis celebrated Mass in 2018 and expressed the wish "Santo subito," meaning "may he be made a saint immediately."
One of the most moving moments of the liturgy was the bringing of the official relic of Blessed Eduard Profittlich to the altar, which was the Archbishop's last letter, written on February 8, 1941, in Tallinn to his loved ones in Germany. This document is a heroic testimony of fidelity, in which the Archbishop affirms his decision to stay with his flock during difficult times, guided by the principle: "where the flock is, there is also the chief shepherd." The solemnity was further enhanced by the premiere of composer Mart Siimer's new anthem "The Faithful Shepherd," performed by the choir of Tallinn's St. Peter and Paul Parish, which reflected the elevated and prayerful atmosphere prevailing in the square.
At the national level, the President of the Republic of Estonia, Alar Karis, paid tribute to the new blessed, noting that Bishop Eduard Profittlich courageously stood against evil and remained steadfast to his conscience and freedom until the end. The event highlighted that even the small Catholic Church in Estonia has a great witness to offer to the entire universal Church, affirming the message that love and faith are stronger than death and violence. Bishop Philippe Jourdan called the beatification a "spiritual spring" for the Church in Estonia, which remains a lasting example and an invitation to follow Christ with courage and faithfulness in today's world.
The Beatification Mass of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich took place on September 6, 2025, in Tallinn’s Freedom Square, and it marked a historic and joyful chapter in the history of Estonia and the Church. The solemn Mass was celebrated by Pope Leo XIV’s representative and delegate, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna, who read out the apostolic letter, officially enrolling the martyr Archbishop Profittlich among the blessed. The event took place in the same location where Pope Francis celebrated Mass in 2018, thereby symbolically fulfilling the Holy Father’s wish expressed at that time for the Archbishop’s swift canonization.
One of the most special and moving moments of the liturgy was the bringing of the new blessed martyr’s official relic to the altar, which was his last heroic letter to relatives from 1941. Musical solemnity was added by the premiere performance of the theme song “Faithful Shepherd” (Ustav karjane) composed by Mart Siimer, performed by the choir of Tallinn’s St. Peter and Paul Parish. The Mass, held before thousands of attendees, bore witness that even the small Catholic Church in Estonia has a great witness to give to the whole world, confirming the enduring hope that love is stronger than death.
Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic letter is a significant official document by which the Holy See officially declared Archbishop Eduard Profittlich a blessed martyr.
With this message given by apostolic authority, he is recognized as a shepherd after Christ’s own heart, who did not abandon his people during persecution and gave his life out of love for his Lord and the Church. The document also confirms that the memorial day of the blessed Archbishop will be celebrated annually on February 21 in the Church calendar. This historic letter was solemnly read by the Pope’s representative at the Beatification Mass.
The official relic of Blessed Eduard Profittlich is his last letter, written on February 8, 1941, in Tallinn to his relatives in Germany. This document is a heroic testimony of fidelity, in which the archbishop announces his firm decision to remain with his flock under Soviet occupation and to share with them both joy and sorrow. Guided by the principle “where the flock is, there too is the chief shepherd,” he confirms in the letter that he is ready to sacrifice his freedom and life for Christ, adding: “And my life and, if necessary, my death are life and death in Christ. And that is immensely beautiful.”
The letter was handed over to the Diocese of Tallinn by the relatives of Blessed Eduard Profittlich in May 2025, and this document served as proof of the archbishop’s fidelity, forming the basis for his beatification. The bringing of the relic to the altar was one of the most special and moving moments of the beatification Mass held on September 6, 2025, in Vabaduse Square, symbolizing the martyr’s spiritual presence and his unwavering fidelity.
Today, the official relic is located in the chapel of Blessed Eduard Profittlich, open in the crypt of St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral in Tallinn. The dignified artwork surrounding the relic was created by Eva Leena Mikson. The letter preserved in the chapel serves as a lasting reminder of the path to holiness of the new Blessed martyr, offering believers an opportunity to remain in prayer and remember the chief shepherd who gave his life out of love for God and the Estonian people.
These texts are a lasting spiritual legacy, inviting us to find strength in Christ and to follow the example of the new Blessed in fidelity, both in great deeds and in small daily matters.
If Blessed Eduard Profittlich has helped you in your life, you have experienced help through his intercession in prayer, or you wish to share your personal testimony, then we ask you to contact us. Your story is a precious and important part of preserving the legacy of Archbishop Profittlich and documenting his path to sainthood.
