Pope Francis in Azerbaijan

View video clip here

Pope Francis started the last leg of his trip to the Caucasus at the airport in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It is a country with continued tensions with neighboring Armenia and where there are only 500 Catholics.

After landing, the Pope went to celebrate mass for the Catholic community. He then visited the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Before him and other authorities of the country, he stressed the importance of dialogue to achieve peaceful coexistence. Azerbaijan, and neighboring Armenia, are at odds over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In front of the Azerbaijan Baku City Shadhidlar Hiyabani Monument to the Fallen Heroes, Pope Francis stayed and prayed for several minutes. Then he visited the newly opened Heydar Aliyev mosque. He met with the sheikh, Allashukur Pashazadeh, who is a key player in the dialogue between Muslims in the Caucasus, where they are the majority.