[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in the Vatican, confirmed the preliminary work carried out for the beatification of the Servant of God Archbishop Eduard Profittlich S.J.
A decree was issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to the Apostolic Administration of Estonia, which confirms the validity of the preliminary investigation and the archival documents submitted to the Congregation.
The decree was signed by the Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, and the Secretary, Mons. Marcello Bartolucci.
Bishop Philippe Jourdan concluded the diocesan phase of the beatification process for Archbishop Eduard Profittlich S.J. in the Apostolic Administration of Estonia on March 5, 2019, and all documents were submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome on March 18, 2019. After reviewing the documents, the Congregation requested clarification on a few points and the addition of supplementary documents. The additional documents were forwarded to the Congregation in November 2019. Due to the coronavirus, work at the Congregation ceased in spring 2020, resuming again from May. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has now determined that the work carried out so far in the Apostolic Administration of Estonia is sufficient and meets the Congregation’s requirements. Therefore, the Congregation issued a decree of validity – in Latin, *validitas* – which permits moving forward to the next stage of the beatification process. This is the first official reaction from the Holy See to the beatification process of Archbishop Profittlich and undoubtedly a historic document for the Catholic Church in Estonia.
For the next stage, the Congregation will appoint a relator, an official of the Congregation, who, together with the local diocesan postulator, will prepare the beatification project, in Latin, the *Positio*, which is a comprehensive work based on documents, encompassing the life, martyrdom, and reputation for holiness of the Servant of God. The *Positio* will then be submitted for evaluation to the Theological Commission in Rome, which, in turn, if the response is positive, will present it to the Pope for confirmation.
Eduard Profittlich was a German Jesuit who came to Estonia in 1930, learned the Estonian language, and acquired Estonian citizenship. Eduard Profittlich was consecrated bishop in 1936. On June 27, 1941, Archbishop Profittlich was arrested in his official residence next to St. Peter and Paul Cathedral and taken to Kirov prison, where he was sentenced to death by shooting. Eduard Profittlich died on February 22, 1942, before the sentence was carried out. This is the first beatification process in the history of the Catholic Church in Estonia.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]