Inauguration aux Musées du Vatican de l’exposition « Religions célestes », en collaboration avec l’Ambassade de la République d’Azerbaïdjan près le Saint-Siège et la Fondation Heydar Aliyev
« Religions célestes » : tel est le thème de l’exposition inaugurée dans la matinée du mardi 29 septembre au sein du Musée ethnologique Anima Mundi des Musées du Vatican. Il s’agit de la présentation de trois tapis d’Azerbaïdjan consacrés à l’islam, au christianisme et au judaïsme. L’exposition est organisée par le Gouvernorat de l’État de la Cité du Vatican et l’Ambassade de la République d’Azerbaïdjan près le Saint-Siège, avec le soutien de la Fondation Heydar Aliyev.
Les tapis exposés sont réalisés à la main d’après un projet de l’artiste azerbaïdjanais Eldar Mikayilzada. L’art du tapis constitue l’un des patrimoines artistiques les plus importants de l’Azerbaïdjan. Sa tradition, transmise oralement et par la pratique, et articulée en différentes écoles régionales, a été inscrite en 2010 sur la Liste représentative du patrimoine culturel immatériel de l’humanité de l’UNESCO, témoignant ainsi de sa valeur culturelle et de sa continuité au fil du temps.
À l’inauguration étaient notamment présents Sœur Raffaella Petrini, Présidente du Gouvernorat de l’État de la Cité du Vatican, S.E. M. Ilgar Mukhtarov, Ambassadeur de la République d’Azerbaïdjan près le Saint-Siège, Mme Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-Présidente de la Fondation Heydar Aliyev, et Mme Barbara Jatta, Directrice de la Direction des Musées et des Biens culturels.
Nous publions ci-dessous, le discours de la Présidente du Gouvernorat :
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.
