Azerbaijan exhibit celebrates 20 years of diplomatic ties with Holy See

(Vatican Radio) The treasures of Azerbaijan will be spotlighted in a special exhibit in the Vatican to be inaugurated Wednesday evening. The exhibit, in celebration of twenty years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Azerbaijan, will be held in the Carlo Magno Wing in the left colonnade of St. Peter’s square.

listen to the report:

The First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology will inaugurate the exhibit which will focus on the cultural and artistic patrimony of this large country at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.

Thanks too, to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, some 100 priceless hand crafted works in textiles, copper, jewelry, musical instruments, weaponry, ancient manuscripts and rare miniatures have been carefully transported to the Vatican for the exhibit, illustrating the variety of cultural, historical and economic influences in Azerbaijan, for centuries a migratory hub.

The Aliyev Foundation helped finance the restoration of the monumental Rome Catacombs of San Marcellino and Pietro on the Via Casalina and this new exhibit is seen as the progressive enrichment of relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is a Sciite Muslim nation widely seen as secular and multi-confessional. Pope John Paul II paid a visit to the capital, Baku in May 2002 launching what has been a rich diplomatic exchange between the two states. Azerbaijan and the Holy See have also signed an accord recognizing the juridical rights of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan.

The exhibit is free of charge and continues until December 5^th.