Azerbaijan, Baku, July 7 /Trend, K.Zarbaliyeva/
Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Prefecture religious organization passed state registration in Azerbaijan, the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations said.
The certificate was presented to the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Prefecture religious organization on passing the state registration
Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations (SCWRO) Hidayet Orujov, the apostolic nuncio of the Holy See to Azerbaijan Claudio Gucerotti and head of Azerbaijan's Catholic community, Vladimir Fekete, who participated in the presentation, assessed the state registration of the catholic religious community as the significant event.
Gucerotti said that the Holy See ratified the agreement on "Agreement between Azerbaijan and the Holy See on legal status of catholic church in the Republic of Azerbaijan" after Azerbaijan on July 6 and consequently, the historical event which has great importance both for Vatican and Azerbaijan, was realized.
Expressing thanks to the Azerbaijani government as well as the State Committee for the conditions established for the Catholic Church's state registration as well as for the Catholics, Gucerotti said that Azerbaijan was always loyal to the tolerance principles. He said that the agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Holy See is the first document of this kind, because Vatican hasn't signed such document with any country up to now. From this point of view this document and Azerbaijani government, which signed it, can be considered a model for the other countries: "Azerbaijan confirmed again how it is tolerant.
Now the entire world witnesses it. I am sure that this document will be remembered as a great historical event. The reaction of press gives grounds to say it. I express my deep thanks to President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijani government on behalf of Holy See for all these".
Mentioning Azerbaijan's tolerant traditions, Orujov said that all conditions have been established in the country for the representatives of all religions, including the Catholics. He said that it is needed to approach naturally the agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Holy See. "But we work for more development of relations. Azerbaijan is always loyal to the tolerance principles. The proof of it is the agreement signed with Vatican. I am sure that Azerbaijan will always remain loyal country, because it is a service and political line of our government and president," Orujov said.
A total of 513 religious communities have been registered in Azerbaijan.