President Karis remarked that Estonia and the Vatican enjoyed excellent bilateral relations and that the Catholic Church in Estonia was a source of spiritual support and social assistance to many people. “The same can be said of pastoral care, which is important for us all,” he added. “It is particularly noteworthy that this year will see Estonia host the beatification ceremony of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, who shared the fate of our people, suffering under the Soviet regime before dying in the Kirov prison in Russia, since never before has anybody linked to Estonia been beatified.”
International relations in general were discussed with the Vatican leaders. “Pope Francis has advocated for a just and lasting peace in all conflicts,” the Estonian head of state said. “He has underscored the need for dialogue and called for an end to hostilities. He has also condemned killing in the name of God and decreed support for war and violence to be blasphemy against His name.”
The situation in Ukraine and Russia’s aggression were addressed at length during the meeting. “The Pope has shown deep personal concern and a desire to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and the Vatican has mediated the return of deported Ukrainian children to their families,” President Karis noted. “I stressed that support for Ukraine and the unequivocal condemnation of Russia’s actions remain vital. I also asked for my best wishes for a speedy recovery to be passed on to the Holy Father.”
The Catholic Church is celebrating a Jubilee year in 2025 whose theme is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. The tradition of such years stretches all the way back to 1300.
Two popes have visited Estonia: John Paul II in 1993 and Francis in 2018. Cardinal Secretary of State Parolini visited the country in 2016, when he gave a speech at the University of Tartu on the topic of ‘The Holy See and International Relations’.
In addition to the Vatican, President Karis today visited one of the world’s oldest and biggest universities, Sapienza in Rome. Founded by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303, the university currently has more than 120,000 students. Sapienza and TalTech signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year for cooperation in the fields of materials science, solar energy and the development of satellites.
Gallery of university visit: Raigo Pajula/Office of the President of the Republic
Gallery of Vatican visit: © Vatican Media https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7KUX
