The new Bishop of Rome was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martínez, of Spanish descent. He has two brothers, Louis Martín and John Joseph.
He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
On April 21, Pope Francis went to be with his heavenly Father. We have all experienced the day of his death and funeral with great grief. Especially since he visited us, in Tallinn, six years ago. With his death, a special time began in the Church, which is called Sede Vacante, meaning we currently do not have a Pope and we are waiting for the election of a new Pope.
ANNOUNCEMENT: All beatifications planned so far have been suspended until the election of a new pope.
The College of Cardinals, which met on the morning of 22.04 for the first general congregation, decided to suspend all beatification ceremonies until a new pope has been elected.
We will inform you in more detail about any changes to the beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, S.J. through the official channels of the Tallinn Diocese as soon as possible.
Source: Tallinn Diocese.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!
It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, has gone home to our heavenly Father. His departure is a great loss for the entire Church, including us, the Catholics of Estonia, who have known his fatherly love, care and prayers.
Pope Francis was a faithful disciple of Christ who left a deep mark on the history of the Church with his humility, simplicity and unwavering commitment to the Gospel. He always stood by the poor and needy and calls us all to live according to the values of faith and love. He emphasized the importance of mercy and reminded us that the power of Christ is manifested above all in our love for our neighbor.
We remember with gratitude his apostolic visit to Estonia in 2018 when he met with us at Tallinn’s Vabaduse Square and gave the whole of Estonia a message of hope and fidelity to God. His words remain with us: “God never withdraws his love!” These words resonate especially strongly in our hearts today and invite us to trust in God’s love even in moments of grief and sorrow.
At this time, when the Church mourns the loss of its shepherd, I invite all Catholics in Estonia to join in prayer for the soul of Pope Francis and also for the Church throughout the world.
Let us also pray for the new Pope, whom the Holy Spirit chooses as leader of the Church, so that he may continue the mission of Christ and lead the people of God on the path of truth and love.
Let us entrust the soul of our beloved Pope Francis to the care of God’s infinite mercy. May his life and ministry be an example to us, and may the Lord give us the strength to walk the path of faith and love that he showed us.
I join you in prayer and in faith in Christ’s promise of eternal life.
+ Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn
On 18 December 2024, His Holiness Pope Francis gave permission for the beatification of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich SJ (1890-1942). The beatification will take place on 17 May 2025, according to the confirmation of the Holy See. The Pope´s representative Cardinal Christoph Schönborn will beatifiy Archbishop Eduard Profittlich during the Holy Mass in Tallinn Town Hall Square. The Mass is scheduled to begin at 11.00.
This will be a historic event for the entire Diocese of Tallinn, for Estonia and for the Estonian people. Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, following the Pope's suggestion, remaining true to himself and to God, he decided to share the common destiny of so many Estonians. He stayed in Estonia with the people and the Church he loved so much, even though he had the opportunity to leave for Germany, but he remained faithful to his vocation and to God to the end. This, however, led to his martyrdom in Kirov prison in Soviet Russia.
More programme and practical information in the coming days for the beatification.
Diocese of Tallinn