Baku: “I don’t know whether I will attend Pope Francis’ funeral. I might,” stated Sheikh Ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO), to APA.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Sheikh Ul-Islam shared his reflections on Pope Francis, highlighting the Pope’s respectful attitude towards Muslims, Azerbaijanis, and the Azerbaijani leadership. He recalled that Pope Francis was consistently interested in their President’s well-being and engaged with the initiatives of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The Pope’s visit to the Heydar Mosque, where he was gifted a Quran, was also mentioned. Sheikh Ul-Islam praised Pope Francis for his respect toward all religions and his efforts in promoting global peace and brotherhood. He expressed hope that the newly elected Pope would continue the dialogue and friendship initiated by Francis.

Sheikh Ul-Islam also revealed that a meeting with Pope Francis had been planned recently. “One month ago, the Pope invited me. We were supposed to meet with representatives of various religious confessions, but his illness prevented it,” he disclosed. He emphasized the importance of unity and tolerance by noting the condolences from Jewish and Christian communities. Concluding his remarks, he prayed for global peace and protection for the people of Azerbaijan and their leadership.