THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AZERBAIJAN CELEBRATED THE 25 YEARS ANNIVERSARY OF ITS REVIVAL

For the Catholic community in Azerbaijan, the year 2025 is marked by several significant dates and events. First and foremost, the country’s Catholics are living this year in the spirit of the Jubilee of Hope, celebrated throughout the Universal Church.

In 2025, the local community also celebrates the 25th anniversary of the revival of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan as “missio sui iuris” and the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the mission of the Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesian Order) in the country.

THE BLESSED PATH STARTED WITH THE VISIT OF SAINT JOHN PAUL II

During the Soviet period the presense of the Catholic church was complety destroyed and the revival appeared possible only after country regained its independance.

Much has been done on this blessed path, which began with the visit of Saint Pope John Paul II to Azerbaijan in 2002: the construction of the Immaculate Conception Church in Baku, the organization of catechetical activities along with the stable prayer and divine worship life. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI raised the status of the Church in Azerbaijan from the level of “missio sui iuris” to the status of Apostolic Prefecture. In the same year, an Agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and the Holy See on the Legal Status of the Catholic Church in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Also within these 25 years the Church in Azerbaijan was blessed by the local spiritual vocations.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE MISSION’S ANNIVERSARY ON THE MISSIONARY SUNDAY

On October 19, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presided on the Solemn Sunday Holy Mass, with concelebration by bishop Vladimir Fekete, the apostolic prefect of Azerbaijan, fr. Peter Tomko, the provincial of Salesians in Slovakia, fr. Daniel Pravda and fr. Jan Čapla, who both headed the “missio sui iuris” in Azerbaijan in previous years and priests of the Salesian Order, who at various times participated in the revival of Catholic ecclesiastical structures in the country.  

The apostolic prefect of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, Bishop Vladimir Fekete warmly greeted Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on behalf of all congregation of clergy and lay people of Azerbaijan

“With this Holy Eucharist, we want to thank the Lord God together with you for all the graces and gifts that our community has received over the past 25 years. Our little community enjoyed a great honour to welcome Saint Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. We are grateful to God for the gift of the first local spiritual vocations. And we are grateful for every single missionary – priest, religious sister or religious brother and for the many lay volunteers. Each of them has lived out their call to holiness here over the past 25 years by inviting the daughters and sons of this nation to follow Jesus Christ with their words and deeds and in general – with their lives. I am glad that several of those early missionaries are with us today” said bishop Fekete welcoming cardinal Tagle at the beginning of the Holy Mass. 

In the begining of his homily cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle highlighted the providential symbolism of celebration the mission’s anniversary on the Worldwide Catholic Missions Sunday.

“Every Sunday is a day of thanksgiving, but this Sunday we have a special reason to thank the Lord. We thank the Lord for the 25th anniversary of establishment of the “missio sui iuris” here in Baku and the 25th anniversary of Salesian mission in Azerbaijan.  Thanks to our Good Lord, thanks to the Salesian family and thanks to you, the people of Azerbaijan. It is providential that we are celebrating these anniversaries when the whole Church is celebrating the World Mission Sunday”.

WE CANNOT… BUT GOD CAN

Cardinal Tagle recalled the theme of World Missionary Sunday in 2025 – “Missionaries of Hope, Among all peoples” and stressed that “all of us – priests, religious, lay faithful – are sent to be missionaries of hope, hope in God, hope in the kingdom of God. And we proclaim Jesus as our hope among all people, not just to ourselves”.    

Reflecting on the liturgical readings, cardinal Tagle highlighted the importance of stable prayer life and deep relations with the Word of God in order to be the real missionaries of hope and be generous in giving the gifts we have received from God to others.

“We cannot produce the fruits that we desire. But God can. Prayer is an act of humility and trust in the Lord who performs wonders that we cannot produce”