Azerbaijan, Baku, 5 March / corr. Trend S. Agayeva/ Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State to the Vatican will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan from 6 to 9 March.
The Cardinal is scheduled to meet with Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, Artur Rasizadeh, the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan and with other officials, Yan Chapla, the head of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan said to Trend on 5 March.
According to Chapla, the official opening ceremony of the church of the Immaculate Conception of Saint Maria in Orujov St in Baku will be a key event during the visit that will be attended by high ranking officials of Azerbaijan, representatives of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and foreign guests.
Cardinal Bertone will visit Taza Pir mosque, Saint Jean-Mironovich Cathedral and the Jewish synagogue and will meet with Allahshukur Pashazadeh, the head of the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Board on 8 March.
Cardinal Bertone will take Sunday Mass in the church of the Immaculate Conception of Saint Maria for Azerbaijani Catholics and anybody who wishes can take part. Mass will begin on 11am and will be held in Latin.
The Cardinal's visit shows an expression of the Vatican's goodwill intentions, Chapla said.