The Holy Mass for the installation of the bishop began in a unique way. Waiting for the bishop of the diocese at the door was the parish priest from Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Tallinn, reported ETV's "Aktuaalne kaamera."

"This is a special ceremony, which indicates that on this day, the bishop is accepting his cathedral as his own," noted parish priest Tomasz Materna. "The cathedral is the bishop's church, which is why this service is very important and very symbolic."

Bishops from many countries attended Jourdan's installation. The decision by Pope Francis to elevate the Apostolic Administration of Estonia to a diocese came just as Estonian Catholics were set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their apostolic administration.

For the Catholic Church in Estonia, this long-awaited decision by the pope signifies independence.

"Before, when we were an apostolic administration, the church was so small, it meant that a bishop of the Catholic Church led the church on behalf of the Pope," the newly installed Jourdan explained. "Now, the Catholic bishop will lead his church on behalf of himself or the Catholic community. Of course in communion with the Pope – we are Catholics."

Prior to his appointment as bishop of the Diocese of Tallinn, Jourdan had previously been serving as the apostolic administrator of Estonia.

"The Diocese of Tallinn is now equal to all other Catholic dioceses worldwide," he highlighted. "This means that even the Diocese of Milan, with its two million Catholics, or the dioceses of Rio de Janeiro, are equal to the Diocese of Tallinn."

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, apostolic nuncio to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, presented the papal documents, the first of which established the Diocese of Tallinn and the second of which appointed Philippe Jourdan as its first bishop.

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