Catholic Church in Azerbaijan: Difference between revisions
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The '''Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan''' is part of the worldwide [[Roman Catholic Church]], under the spiritual leadership of the [[Pope]] and curia in [[Rome]]. |
The '''Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan''' is part of the worldwide [[Roman Catholic Church]], under the spiritual leadership of the [[Pope]] and curia in [[Rome]]. |
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It is one of the least Catholic countries in the world in terms of the number of adherents with only 250 faithful out of a total population of over seven million. |
It is one of the least Catholic countries in the world in terms of the number of adherents with only 250 faithful out of a total population of over seven million. More than half of the congregation consists of foreigners that work as diplomats or work for oil companies.<ref name="azerb">{{cite web | author= | year=May 21st, 2002| title= Azerbaijan's Few Catholics Ready to Greet Pope | format= | work= Catholic World News | url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=18177|accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> |
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==Origins== |
==Origins== |
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The presence of Catholics in Azerbaijan began with the arrival of Polish political deportees in the 1790's.<ref>{{cite web | author= | year=May 21st, 2002| title= Azerbaijan's Few Catholics Ready to Greet Pope | format= | work= Catholic World News | url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=18177|accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> |
The presence of Catholics in Azerbaijan began with the arrival of Polish political deportees in the 1790's.<ref name="azerb">{{cite web | author= | year=May 21st, 2002| title= Azerbaijan's Few Catholics Ready to Greet Pope | format= | work= Catholic World News | url=http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=18177|accessdate=2006-06-18}}</ref> |
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==20th century== |
==20th century== |
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Revision as of 02:18, 8 July 2006
The Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.
It is one of the least Catholic countries in the world in terms of the number of adherents with only 250 faithful out of a total population of over seven million. More than half of the congregation consists of foreigners that work as diplomats or work for oil companies.[1]
Origins
The presence of Catholics in Azerbaijan began with the arrival of Polish political deportees in the 1790's.[1]
20th century
In the early 20th century there was a community in Baku made up of Polish, German, and Russian immigrants who built a neo-Gothic church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. In the early 1930's, Josef Stalin had the small communitys only priest killed.[2] In 1937, the church was demolished by communist authorities.[3]
In 1997, a Polish priest came to Baku to restart the community.[2]
21st century
In October 2000, the mission sui iuris of Baku was established covering the whole of the country, with Jozef Pravda as its first and, to date, only superior.
On May 23rd, 2002, Pope John Paul II visited the country, despite his increasingly fragile health.[4] Thanks to his visit, President Heider Aliev gave the Catholic church a plot of land to build a church.[2] The building was funded by proceeds from Pope John Paul IIs book sales and foreign donations.[5]
When Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the apostolic nuncio to Azerbaijan, visited the country he encountered many elderly believers who had waited almost 70 years to recieve the sacrament of confirmation.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Azerbaijan's Few Catholics Ready to Greet Pope". Catholic World News. May 21st, 2002. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ a b c d "Faithful Waited 70 Years for Confirmation in Azerbaijan". zenit.org. May 20th, 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Lowe, Christian (May 23rd, 2002). "POPE'S FALTERING HEALTH CAUSES CONCERN ON AZERBAIJAN VISIT". Agence France Presse. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ Stanley, Alessandra (May 23rd, 2002). "Frail Pope Takes His Message Of Peace to the Azerbaijanis". New York Times. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ ""Catholic Church to open in Azerbaijan"". AssA-Irada. August 30th, 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link)
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