a Vatican spy. His cause for canonization as a martyr has been opened. During the Soviet occupation, all Estonia's Catholic churches were closed and the Catholic population of Estonia decreased below 100 adherents and 1 underground priest who were all heavily persecuted by the KGB. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Estonia regained its independence and was re-recognized by the Holy See on 28 August 1991. Estonia received its first papal visit when Pope John Paul II visited the country in September 1993. Current state of Catholicism in Estonia The Catholic population of Estonia is small, but has seen a rapid increase since the end of the Soviet rule. Currently the whole country has approximately 6,000 adherents. Most are of Estonian background but also many Lithuanians and Poles. Most live in the major towns such as Tallinn, Tartu, and Narva. Estonia has no dioceses. Instead, the whole country forms an apostolic administration. Since 2005, the Apostolic Administrator of Estonia who resides in Tallinn is Bishop Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan. See also Estonia–Holy See relations Apostolic Administration of Estonia References External links Homepage of the Catholic Church in Estonia History of the Catholic Church in Estonia Estonia and the Vatican An article about the history and heyday of the Catholic Church in Estonia in English Religion in Estonia: web encyclopedia Estonica Apostolic Administration of Estonia Estonia Estonia