Azerbaijan's First VP Mehriban Aliyeva Meets with Pope Leo XIV

During her official visit to the Holy See on October 17, Azerbaijan's First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva met with Pope Leo XIV.

Expressing her gratitude for the reception by Pope Leo XIV, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva underlined that bilateral ties between the Holy See and Azerbaijan had significantly developed in recent years, The Caspian Post reports, citing AZERTAC.

The First Vice-President mentioned that in recent years, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Holy See had collaborated extensively on restoration work, scientific research, and cultural exchanges.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva emphasized that following the successful completion of several projects, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had launched other projects in accordance with its agreements signed with the Holy See.

Mehriban Aliyeva noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation would expand its cooperation with the Holy See by introducing new initiatives.

The meeting highlighted the activities of the Catholic Church of the Holy See in Azerbaijan and the preparations for the construction of the second Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV highlighted the long-lasting bilateral cooperation between the Holy See and Azerbaijan. Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, noting that relations had developed significantly thanks to the initiatives put forward by her a few years ago.

Pope Leo XIV underscored that this collaboration had significantly enhanced interreligious and inter-civilizational dialogue, positioning Azerbaijan as a global leader in this field. Pope Leo XIV reiterated the Holy See’s interest in continuing to implement these projects with Azerbaijan.

He asked that his deep gratitude be conveyed to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for allocating the land for the construction of the second Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV thanked the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the work it has accomplished.

First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva expressed her gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, and invited him to pay a visit to Azerbaijan.