A delegation of religious confession leaders from Azerbaijan, led by Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO), held a series of meetings in the Vatican on February 9.

The delegation first met with the Head of the Holy See and the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV welcomed the guests and praised the joint visit of the religious confessions of Azerbaijan as an exemplary model of peace and human fraternity.

Pashazade extended the greetings of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, highlighting the high level of Azerbaijan-Vatican relations. He also recalled the visit of the late Pope Francis to Azerbaijan and his meeting with the heads of religious confessions, describing it as a significant event. He noted that state visits and meetings with religious leaders strengthen the relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See, as well as interreligious dialogue. The CMO Chairman added that the establishment of a representative office in the Vatican would further contribute to this process.

Pashazade expressed his wish for Pope Leo XIV to participate in the opening of the second Catholic Church currently under construction in Baku. Furthermore, he invited the Pope to visit Azerbaijan in 2027 to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijan-Vatican diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of the first meeting between National Leader Heydar Aliyev and Pope John Paul II. In this regard, the CMO Chairman presented an invitation letter to Leo XIV on behalf of the Advisory Council of Religious Confessions in Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Ordinary of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, spoke about the high level of interfaith relations; Milikh Yevdayev, Head of the Mountain Jewish Community, discussed the environment of ethno-religious harmony; Robert Mobili, Chairman of the Alban-Udi Christian Religious Community, focused on the preservation of the Alban-Udi heritage; and Zamir Isayev, Head of the Baku Religious Community of Sephardic Jews, highlighted the atmosphere of tolerance in the country. Editions focusing on the history of religions, religious monuments, and the environment of tolerance in Azerbaijan were presented as gifts to Pope Leo XIV.

The delegation also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

Pashazade emphasized that the restoration of catacombs in the Vatican by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, cooperation in museum and library sectors, and the construction of a new Catholic Church in Baku are prime examples of Azerbaijan’s multicultural policy. The importance of interreligious dialogue, the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process, and future cooperation prospects were discussed. Pashazade noted Azerbaijan's active participation in the process of inter-civilizational dialogue and mentioned the significance of the Pope's address to the Iftar ceremony to be held in the Vatican on March 9. He also provided information on the restoration of religious and cultural heritage in the liberated territories, including the reconstruction of mosques, churches, and temples.