Cardinal George Koovakad, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, met with President Ilham Aliyev and religious leaders in Baku during his 15–19 June visit, underlining the importance of tolerance, multiculturalism, and continued cooperation between the Holy See and Azerbaijan to strengthen peaceful coexistence among different faith communities.
By Edoardo Giribaldi
“Fire,” a term traditionally associated with the meaning attributed to the people of Azerbaijan. “Wind,” an element for which its capital, Baku, is known. These two symbols—representing love and harmony—lie at the heart of the joint commitment that the Holy See and the Caucasian country are renewing through the visit of the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 15 – 19 June.
The relationship between Azerbaijan and the Holy See
On the afternoon of 18 June, at the residence of the Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus, Allahshukur Pashazade, in Baku, the Cardinal delivered a speech expressing gratitude for the warm welcome received and for the long-standing friendship linking the Holy See with the religious communities of Azerbaijan.
In the presence of the Apostolic Prefect of the country, Vladimír Fekete, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, Ilgar Mukhtarov, and representatives of local Christian and Jewish communities, Cardinal Koovakad recalled the visits made to the country by John Paul II in 2002 and by Pope Francis in 2016.
These visits, together with numerous meetings and initiatives, have strengthened the ties between the two sides.
Christians and Muslims together
Drawing inspiration from the teaching of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration Nostra aetate on the Church’s relation to non-Christian religions, , the Cardinal Prefect emphasized that “Christians and Muslims have thus sought to walk together in the service of peace, recognizing that we worship the one God, Creator of heaven and earth.”
From this perspective, Cardinal Koovakad observed that the bilateral agreement signed in 2011 and the memorandum of understanding on religious cooperation signed last year testify to the shared conviction that “dialogue is not merely an exchange of ideas, but a journey toward deeper understanding, trust, and collaboration.”
Commitments for the future
What has been built so far must, however, serve as an incentive to pursue the ideal of the “civilization of love,” updated by Pope Leo XIV in his encyclical Magnifica humanitas.
In this spirit, Cardinal Koovakad stated that there is a call to pursue five important commitments reaffirmed in the document: disarm words that sow hostility and division; build peace in justice by defending the dignity of every person; adopt the perspective of victims and listen to the cry of those who suffer; renew dialogue among religions, cultures, and peoples; and strengthen diplomacy and multilateral cooperation in addressing the challenges of the contemporary world.
These principles, he stressed, are not merely “noble aspirations,” but “urgent responsibilities.”
Meeting with President Aliyev
On Tuesday, 16 June, the Cardinal also met with the President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
According to a statement from the state agency Azertag, the Cardinal conveyed greetings from Pope Leo XIV and from the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin.
The meeting highlighted the role of the local Catholic Church and the ongoing construction of a second church in the country.
Emphasizing the importance of tolerance and multiculturalism in promoting peace and interreligious dialogue, the discussions also covered cooperation between the Holy See and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, named after the father of the current president, particularly its contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage and the promotion of interreligious dialogue through various projects.
Cardinal George Koovakad and PresidentI lham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
