Vatican city: First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, accompanied by Cardinal James Harvey, the Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, visited the Vatican City to inspect the ongoing restoration and construction work at the historic Basilica. The restoration efforts are supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the inspection included detailed briefings from Priest Don Lodovico Turrisi and architect Marco Ciriachi, who provided insights into the Basilica’s history and the current restoration process. The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, notable for being the second largest church in Vatican City after St. Peter’s Basilica, holds significant religious and historical importance, having been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980. The church is built over the burial site of Saint Paul the Apostle and displays mosaic portraits of all popes from St. Peter to the present day.

A noteworthy development in the Basilica’s restoration took place on September 11, 2024, when a document was signed between the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. This agreement, part of the ‘Jubilee Year’ celebrations held every 25 years by the Holy See, aims to ensure the preservation and restoration of the Basilica’s marble coverings and decorative elements. The document was signed by former President of the Governorate Cardinal Fernando V©rgez Alzaga and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.