CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN LED THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS IN THE CHURCH OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
On July 9, Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, led the celebration of the Holy Mass at the Baku Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Welcoming the distinguished guest in the main Catholic church of the capital, the Apostolic Prefect of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, Bishop Vladimir Fekete said:
“Before we start our divine service, I would like to warmly welcome you in our church on behalf of the clergy, religious and all the faithful of the Apostolic Prefecture in Azerbaijan.
My heart is full of gratitude and joy that you are here among us.
It will soon be 7 years since the Holy Father Pope Francis celebrated Sunday Mass here during his pastoral visit to Azerbaijan in October 2016. And now you are among us, Your Eminence, as the closest collaborator of the Holy Father.
Your Eminence, in the coming days you will have important meetings with the President of the Republic and government officials. But today you are here, among us, first of all, as a priest of Christ, as a spiritual authority and a close collaborator of the Pope in his service to the Universal Church.
We accompany you in this mission with our prayers and now with great attention and gratitude we are waiting for your blessing and words of encouragement.
We thank the Lord God for this gift, and we also thank you for being among us.”
Cardinal Parolin expressed great joy from his stay in Azerbaijan and from the opportunity to pray together with the Catholics of our country.
In his sermon, Cardinal Parolin invited the faithful to meditate on true peace and the ways to achieve it.
“In today’s first reading, the prophet Zechariah paints for us the image of the coming Messiah, as a king taking over his dominions on a young donkey, which in those days served as a sign of peace and the rejection of wars and violence … True peace can only be achieved through Truth, Justice and Mercy “- the cardinal noted.
His Eminence wished prosperity to Azerbaijan and its people and bestowed an apostolic blessing on the concgregation of faithful.
At the end of Holy Mass, Cardinal Parolin led the ceremony of official opening and blessing of the statue of St. Pope John Paul II, installed on the territory of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
After the divine services, in the church’s tea hall the Secretary of State of the Holy See met with the heads and representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan, as well as with the staff of the Apostolic Prefecture and members of parish councils.