Russian patriarch awarded Order of Sheikh ul-Islam
22/11/2011
The chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Department, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, has attended the Russian patriarch’s birthday celebrations.
On behalf of the Muslims of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, the sheikh awarded Patriarch Kirill the Order of the Sheikh ul-Islam for his personal contribution to the development of interreligious and interethnic dialogue, the strengthening of cultural ties in the CIS and worldwide, cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Caucasus Muslims Department and the deepening of friendly relations between the peoples of Russia and Azerbaijan.
The sheikh had a one-to-one meeting with the patriarch and another meeting involving the two sides’ delegations.
Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Russia, Polad Bulbuloglu, read a letter of congratulations to the patriarch on his 65th birthday from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
Patriarch Kirill thanked the Azerbaijani leader for the birthday wishes.
The patriarch noted that Ilham Aliyev always gave priority to religious issues: “I am pleased with this development of the existing fraternal relations between the two countries,” he said.
APA
