On February 9, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Holy See and the Catholic Church, in the Vatican. The audience took place at the personal invitation of the Pontiff. Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade was accompanied by the heads of religious confessions in Azerbaijan: Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Ordinary of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan; Milikh Yevdayev, Head of the Mountain Jews Community in Azerbaijan; Robert Mobili, Chairman of the Albanian-Udi Christian Religious Community; and Zamir Isayev, Head of the Baku Religious Community of Sephardic Jews.
Welcoming the guests warmly, Pope Leo XIV highly valued the joint visit of Azerbaijan's religious confessions to the Vatican as a wonderful example of the possibility of coexistence in an atmosphere of peace and human fraternity.
CMB Chairman Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade expressed that it was a great honor to convey the sincere greetings of President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Azerbaijani people to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. He noted that the high level of Azerbaijan-Vatican relations—established by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, continued by President Ilham Aliyev, and developed through the efforts of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva—is deeply gratifying. He also recalled the historic visit of the late Pope Francis to Azerbaijan and his positive remarks regarding the country's multicultural values and exemplary interreligious environment.
Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade specifically emphasized that mutual state visits and productive meetings with officials and the multicultural religious community contribute significantly to the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See. He added that it is commendable that the development of interstate relations fosters deeper interreligious ties. The decades-long effective spiritual relationship between the Vatican and the Caucasus Muslims Board serves as an exemplary model for the global interreligious dialogue process.
Recalling his first meeting with the Pontiff last October during the 60th-anniversary celebration of the Nostra Aetate document, Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade highlighted that this current meeting, held at the Pope's personal invitation, was particularly significant. He expressed his desire for Pope Leo XIV to attend the opening of the second Catholic church in Baku, which will be named after Pope John Paul II. Furthermore, he noted that a papal visit in 2027 would be especially auspicious, as it marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See and the 30th anniversary of the first meeting between Heydar Aliyev and Saint John Paul II. On behalf of the Advisory Council of Religious Confessions in Azerbaijan, he presented an official invitation letter to Pope Leo XIV.
Sheikh-ul-Islam also mentioned his participation in the "Zayed Award for Human Fraternity" ceremony in Abu Dhabi on February 4, where President Ilham Aliyev was honored. He expressed regret that while political leaders are making efforts for regional peace, the Armenian church has taken a revanchist position and spread false information regarding the destruction of religious monuments. He invited the Pontiff to observe the reality—including the preserved Armenian church in central Baku—during a future visit.
He also proposed the establishment of a CMB representative office in the Vatican to further deepen cooperation.
Other members of the delegation, including Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Milikh Yevdayev, Robert Mobili, and Zamir Isayev, spoke about the high level of interethnic and interreligious harmony and the multicultural model prevailing in Azerbaijan. Gifts reflecting Azerbaijan's religious history, monuments, and the environment of tolerance were presented to His Holiness.
The meeting was also attended by Ilgar Mukhtarov, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See.
The delegation also met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade praised the cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in restoring catacombs in the Vatican and digitalizing archival manuscripts related to Azerbaijani history. Cardinal Parolin welcomed the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, describing interreligious dialogue as a vital tool for global stability. The Sheikh-ul-Islam announced intentions to hold an Iftar ceremony in the Vatican on March 9 during Ramadan.
Additionally, a meeting was held with Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, who previously served in Azerbaijan. He praised Azerbaijan's policy of multiculturalism as a major contribution to global peace.

CMB Press Service

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