The visit of President Heydar Aliyev to the Vatican in September 1997, followed by the visit of the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, to Azerbaijan on May 22–23, 2002, at the invitation of the President of Azerbaijan, laid a solid foundation for bilateral relations. Subsequently, the construction of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baku, the participation of the Holy See's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, in its official inauguration in 2008, and the support provided to this project by Azerbaijani authorities gave a decisive impetus to the development of relations with the Holy See.
Starting from 2005, contacts became regular when the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva, Elchin Amirbayov, was also accredited to the Holy See.
The visit of President Ilham Aliyev to the Holy See in February 2005 and the signing, on April 29, 2011, in Baku, of the "Agreement on the Legal Status of the Catholic Church in the Republic of Azerbaijan" further strengthened these relations.
A significant role in deepening bilateral relations has been played by projects implemented under the patronage of H.E. Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice President of the country and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
The official visits of President Ilham Aliyev to the Vatican on March 6, 2015, and February 22, 2020, represent significant milestones in the development of relations. On these occasions, the President met with Pope Francis and the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
High-level representatives of the Holy See have participated in important international events organized in Azerbaijan, including COP29, the 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, and the Global Summit of Religious Leaders.
Currently, the construction of a second Catholic church in Baku serves as a clear example of the strengthening of relations between our countries.