On August 8th, the feast of Our Father Saint Dominic, the Provincial of France, fr Nicolas Tixier, OP, and the president of the Lay Dominicans of the Province of France, Jean René Berthélemy, received in the House of Saint Catherine of Siena in Tallinn the promises of five Estonian lay Dominicans who will now form a new Dominican lay fraternity under the patronage of Fra Angelico. Teachers, actors and glass artists, these lay Dominicans had already shown their commitment to the Order’s mission by organising the very successful meeting of Dominican artists in Tallinn in 2021.
For the occasion, the coordinator of the European Dominican laity, Sébastien Milazzo, the vicar provincial of Dacia, fr Gabriel Salmela,OP the provincial of Belgium, fr Didier Croonenberghs, OP as well as a delegation from the Dominican lay fraternities of Helsinki and Riga travelled to Tallinn to take part in this joyful celebration.
The Dominicans arrived in Estonia in 1229. After being expelled during the Reformation, Polish Dominicans returned to Tallinn in the 19th century. They had to leave the country again during the Soviet era, but returned in 1996. It is the first time that a Dominican lay fraternity is established in Estonia. Today the Dominican mission in Estonia and in the other two Baltic States, Latvia and Lithuania, is entrusted to the care of the Province of France.
Fotos en Tallinn 08 08 2024,
copyright Jean-René BERTHELEMY
copyright Roosi Kiudsoo-Värv
