Archbishop Eduard Profittlich’s name is inseparably linked to the history of the Catholic Church in Estonia. His life, sacrifice, and martyrdom in Kirov prison in 1942 have inspired generations. Profittlich’s faith, wisdom, and loyalty to Estonia have left a deep mark on our spiritual heritage, writes historian Toomas Abiline.
When I first stepped through the door of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Tallinn in 1989, a memorial plaque on the vestibule wall caught my eye with the text: «Episcopus Martyr Eduard Profittlich 1890–…». This was a memorial plaque to Archbishop Eduard Profittlich (1890–1942), head of the Catholic Church in Estonia, Apostolic Administrator during the period 1931–1941.
The year of the Bishop’s death was not yet precisely known in 1989; it was the time of the Singing Revolution, and the memorial plaque for the martyr-bishop had already been installed, but the archives of the Soviet repressive organs had not yet been opened. The following year, in 1990, Father Rein Õunapuu was able to access Eduard Profittlich’s investigation file, and the Bishop’s year, date, and place of death were also revealed: 1942, February 22, Kirov prison.