On the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia, Pope Francis sent a letter to Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan of the province of Tallinn, praising the work of the small Church.
vatican city
Pope Francis sent a message praising the country’s “small but vibrant Church” on the occasion of the centenary of the Apostolic Administration in Estonia.
On the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia, Pope Francis sent a letter to Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan of the province of Tallinn. An Apostolic Administration is a Catholic community that has not been declared a diocese by the Pope and is governed by an Apostolic Administrator.
Pope Francis began his message by recalling his visit to Estonia in 2018, calling it a moment of great importance and saying that it “marks a century of firm fidelity to the Catholic faith.” He praised Estonia’s “small but vibrant Church,” saying it is “a source of compassion and spiritual nourishment for countless men and women across the country.”
evidence of faith
In his letter, the Pope recalled the example of the Servant of God, Archbishop Eduard Profitlich: “His testimony of Christ and his determination to remain close to his flock, even to witness the shedding of blood, were like seeds sown, which come to fruition. good ending today.” The Pope expressed his hope that the martyrdom and legacy of the archbishop inspire “priests, religious, lay people and the present generation” to joyfully undertake pastoral work.
The Pope expressed his hope that Estonian Catholics, in a situation of war in Europe, would try to achieve their apostolic goal of building “a society of peace, justice, solidarity and dignity of every human being.” and women from other Christian communities.” He challenged the Estonian Church “not to forget the refugees, the most vulnerable people and the most needy, but to extend to them the hand of friendship.
a historic beginning
Pope Pius IX established the Apostolic Administration in Estonia in 1924, when there were only 2,000 Christians in the country. Today, Christians make up about 1% of the country’s 1.3 million inhabitants, while 60% of Estonians do not identify with any religion.
On September 26 this year, Pope Francis established the first Catholic diocese in Estonia when he elevated the country’s apostolic administration to diocesan status. All of Estonia depends on a single diocese, that of Tallinn, whose apostolic administrator, Monsignor Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan, has been named the first bishop of the diocese.
