"Heavenly Religions" Exhibition Inaugurated at the Vatican Museums in Collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation
“Heavenly Religions” is the theme of the exhibition inaugurated on Tuesday, 29 September, at the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum of the Vatican Museums. The exhibition features three Azerbaijani carpets dedicated respectively to Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It was organized by the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
The carpets on display were handmade according to designs by Azerbaijani artist Eldar Mikayilzada. Carpet weaving is one of Azerbaijan’s most important artistic traditions. Passed down orally and through practice and encompassing a number of distinct regional schools, this tradition was inscribed in 2010 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in recognition of its cultural significance and enduring vitality.
Among those attending the inauguration were Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, H.E. Mr Ilgar Mukhtarov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, Ms Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Barbara Jatta, Director of Vatican Museums and Cultural Heritage.
Below is the address delivered by the President of the Governorate:
I extend my greetings to His Excellency Mr. Ilgar Mukhtarov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See;
to Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Foundation Heydar Aliyev,
to Dr Barbara Jatta and, through her, to the Vatican Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage;
to the Authorities and to all of you, dear guests.
Culture and memory are fundamental pillars of peace.
With this spirit we inaugurate today the exhibition “Heavenly Religions – Azerbaijani Carpets dedicated to the three Abrahamic Religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.”
The exhibition is intended to provide an opportunity for dialogue among different religions, peoples, cultures, languages and traditions. It is also a tribute to Azerbaijan, where the art of carpet weaving is deeply rooted in the country’s traditions.
The carpets we admire here, designed by the artist Eldar Mikayilzada, are not merely precious works of craftsmanship created by skilled artisans; they are also expressions of identity and memory. Through their colors, geometric patterns, symbols and decorative motifs, they convey the history and sensibilities of entire generations.
This exhibition, therefore, offers an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of one of the most important expressions of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage, while also inviting us to reflect on the universal value of art as a powerful language, capable of transcending geographical boundaries and cultural differences.
These artifacts are also ambassadors of interreligious dialogue for all those who will have the opportunity to see them and appreciate the beauty of their details and the interplay of their colors and light. Dialogue is built through small steps and simple gestures, woven into the fabric of everyday life.
In this regard, I would like to recall the words of Pope Leo XIV, in his address celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, on October 28, 2025, reminding us that “dialogue is not a tactic or a tool, but a way of life — a journey of the heart that transforms everyone involved, the one who listens and the one who speaks. What is more, we walk this journey not by abandoning our own faith, but by standing firmly within it. For authentic dialogue begins not in compromise, but in conviction — in the deep roots of our own belief that give us the strength to reach out to others in love».
These words call each one of us to look beyond what separates us and to discover what unites us, so that in mutual respect and freedom of conscience – as Christians, Muslims and Jews – we can build bridges among our communities.
This exhibition provides a concrete opportunity for this type of dialogue, as well as a further confirmation of the excellent bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Vatican City State. Through the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, these relations have led to the implementation of important cultural projects aimed at safeguarding the Vatican State’s historical and artistic heritage, in collaboration with numerous institutions, including the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, the Fabbrica of Saint Peter, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and the Vatican Apostolic Library.
Before concluding, I would like to thank once again the promoters, organizers and curators of the exhibition, which is being hosted at the Anima Mundi Ethnological Museum of the Vatican Museums.
In particular, I wish to renew my sincere gratitude to the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See and to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for their invaluable support and cooperation throughout many years.
Thank you.
