The "Euronews" TV channel has prepared a report on the visit of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, to the Vatican.

Axar.az reports that the material titled "Azerbaijan strengthens relations with the Vatican through restoration work carried out at the Holy See" notes that Mehriban Aliyeva's visit is an important step in the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Vatican.

It is emphasized that Vatican officials highly appreciated Azerbaijan's role in preserving world heritage and strengthening interfaith dialogue. At the same time, Azerbaijan supports the restoration of the historical catacombs in the Vatican, as well as the construction of a new Catholic church in Baku.

The material states that the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan participated in the opening of the project to restore the Catacombs of Commodilla, an ancient Christian complex dating back to the 4th century. The restoration was carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation under an agreement signed with the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology on March 4, 2021.

Discovered in the 18th century and first explored by archaeologists in 1900, the catacombs contain some of the oldest Christian artifacts and are traditionally considered the burial place of the early Christian martyrs Felix and Adauctus. They were an important pilgrimage site for believers in the Middle Ages. Restoration work was carried out using laser and nanotechnology methods to preserve the fragile frescoes and strengthen the underground walls.

Euronews notes that during the visit, Mehriban Aliyeva met with Pope Leo XIV, who stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue with Azerbaijan. She also met with the Secretary General of the Vatican State, Raffaella Petrini. A symbolic pomegranate tree was planted as a sign of friendship and shared cultural heritage.

At the Vatican Apostolic Library, Mehriban Aliyeva got acquainted with rare Azerbaijani manuscripts preserved with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Joint projects have enabled the digitization and preservation of centuries-old texts and maps of the region.

In addition, the First Vice President visited the Bambino Gesù hospital, Europe's largest children's research center, where a new cooperation agreement was signed that will allow Azerbaijani doctors to collaborate with Italian colleagues in the study of genetics and rare diseases.

"Construction of a new Catholic church dedicated to Saint John Paul II continues in Baku, outside Rome. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallaher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states and international organizations, blessed the construction site and laid the foundation stone of the new church in December 2024. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Holy See encompasses many areas - from ancient catacombs to modern construction sites - cultural exchange, scientific cooperation, and mutual respect," the story notes.