Estonian president meets Vatican's secretary of state

TALLINN - In a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, on Thursday, Estonian President Alar Karis acknowledged the activities of the Catholic Church in Estonia and the church's contribution to advocating for world peace.

Leaders of the Catholic Church expressed interest in Estonian legislation concerning the Russian Orthodox Church, the office of the Estonian president said in a press release.

"The bilateral relations between Estonia and the Vatican are very good. The Catholic Church in Estonia provides many people with both spiritual support and social assistance, pastoral care that is important to all of us. It is of particular significance that this year, the beatification ceremony of Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, who shared the fate of the Estonian people, suffered under the Soviet regime, and died in a prison in Kirov, Russia, will take place in Estonia. Previously, no person associated with Estonia has been beatified," the president said.

The broader state of international relations was also discussed during the meeting.

"Pope Francis has stood for just and lasting peace in all conflicts. He has emphasized the need for dialogue and called for an end to hostilities. The pope has also condemned killing in the name of God and described supporting war and violence as blasphemy against God's name," noted Karis.

The situation in Ukraine and the Russian aggression were discussed in more detail.

"The pope has expressed deep personal concern and wished to alleviate the suffering of Ukrainians -- the Vatican has mediated the return of deported Ukrainian children to their families. I emphasized that supporting Ukraine and fully condemning the aggressor's actions remain crucial. I asked to convey my wishes to the pope for a speedy recovery," the president said.

Two popes have visited Estonia -- John Paul II in 1993 and Francis in 2018. The Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Parolin, visited Estonia in 2016 and delivered a speech at the University of Tartu on the topic of the Holy See and international relations.

In addition to visiting the Vatican, the Estonian president on Thursday also visited Sapienza University of Rome, one of the world's oldest and largest universities. Founded by Pope Boniface VIII, the university began its operations in 1303 and today has over 120,000 students.

Last year, Sapienza University and Tallinn University of Technology signed a memorandum of understanding outlining plans for cooperation in the fields of materials science, solar energy, and satellite development.