Of the Baltic states Pope Francis visited, Estonia has the smallest Catholic population; 0.5 percent. Moreover, 70 percent of the 1.300.000 inhabitants do not follow any religion.
President Kersti Kaljulaid welcomed the pope in the airport. There they listened to a top choir like this one.
In the presidential palace, the president presented him with this kind gift: a digital citizenship card.
Minutes later, in front of all the nation's authorities, Pope Francis warned of the dangers of creating societies with no roots, more focused on technology than in people.
POPE FRANCIS
“Still, we do well never to forget that “the good life” and a life well lived are not the same thing. Put all our trust in technological progress, as the only way possible, can lead to a loss of the capacity to create interpersonal bonds.”
The pope stressed the need to foster societies with roots for two reasons: to give thanks for the well-being received through the work of past generations and to avoid a serious problem: the lack of vitality.
In Baltic countries there is a high suicide rate. According to the World Health Organization, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are among the top 15 countries where suicide is most prevalent. On the other hand, a lack of connection to their own country affects 15 percent of the emigrants living outside of Estonia.
