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06 November 2009Russian Patriarch visits Baku to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Caucasus Muslim Board head
Moscow, November 6, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visits Baku to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Caucasus Muslim Board head Allahshukur Pasha-zade.
The Russian Patriarch will also meet with Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II of All Georgia, who is in Baku already.
"Holy Patriarch Ilia II will be in Baku on this day. If all plans remain in force, the Primates of two Churches will meet," Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the head of the Synodal Church and Society Department, told Interfax-Religion.
The meeting will not have any special status, he also said. "Being in Baku, they will of course find time to meet. But no special status is being given to this meeting," he said.
The celebrations of the Azeri Muslim leader's 60th birthday will also be attended by representatives of other local Orthodox Churches, by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who will bring along a letter from Pope Benedict XVI, and by Muslim clergy.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has congratulated Allahshukur Pasha-zade on his 60th birthday and 30 years since the title of Sheikh ul-Islam was bestowed on him, the Kremlin press office said on Friday.
Medvedev called Pasha-zade to wish him health and success in his noble service and informed him that he signed yesterday a decree awarding Pasha-zade with the Order of Honor.
"It was noted that this award is the highest assessment of his enlightening and spiritual mission, his active contribution to the development of the inter-religious dialog and to the strengthening of Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation," the press office said in a statement.
Having thanked the President for his message and award, Sheik ul-Islam Pasha-zade expressed his firm intention to continue his active efforts for stronger friendship, mutual understanding and trust between the people of Russia and Azerbaijan. |
