The initiative sparked a wave of criticism fueled by serious accusations against the Azerbaijani government, particularly regarding ethnic cleansing.
Christians are sometimes said to be victims of such terrible acts.
Is this an agreement or bone of contention?
The text signed in Baku by Cardinal George Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, comes in a tense geopolitical context. It arrives less than two years after the Azerbaijani military offensive of 2023, which led to the dissolution of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
This enclave, internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, was populated and controlled by Armenian Christians until the military operation that forced their exodus. Many observers denounce this offensive as an act of ethnic cleansing, pointing to the destruction or desecration of Armenian religious sites, churches, and cemeteries in the region.
In this context, the Vatican's decision has sparked incomprehension and outrage among some Christians in the region. Critics, including influential Armenian voices, accuse the Azerbaijani government of practicing "caviar diplomacy," a strategy aimed at influencing foreign policy through cultural and economic investments.
This practice, according to detractors, includes generous funding for Vatican projects, notably through the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, headed by the Azerbaijani first lady. The foundation has funded restoration projects at the Vatican, including the Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter, Commodilla, and San Sebastiano, a statue from the Vatican Museums, as well as over 3,000 books and 75 manuscripts from the Vatican Apostolic Library.
These financial contributions raise questions about possible Azerbaijani influence on the decisions of the Holy See, with some even referring to "ecclesiastical whitewashing" to minimize Catholic objections to Baku's actions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Ties between the Vatican and Azerbaijan are not new. In 2011, an agreement was brokered by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, then the Apostolic Nuncio, laying the foundations for diplomatic cooperation. Cardinal Koovakad hailed the new agreement as a "valuable instrument for promoting the principle of religious freedom," emphasizing Azerbaijan's respect for minority religious communities and the possibility of harmonious coexistence between Christians and Muslims.
He also discussed shared priorities, such as environmental protection and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. It is proof that the blissful idealism inherited from the ecumenism of Vatican II has not yet completely disappeared.
On the Orthodox side—whose criticism of Rome should always be taken with a grain of salt—, the Vatican's attitude should not be viewed as naive: Msgr. Vicken Aykazian, ecumenical director of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America (non-Catholic), sharply criticized the Vatican's involvement.
In an interview with The Pillar, the prelate stated that “the Vatican has been receiving money from Azerbaijan for some time — the main example being the restoration of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which was funded by Azerbaijan.” According to him, these financial ties influence Vatican diplomacy, to the detriment of historical relations with Armenia, the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301.
Criticism comes from well beyond Armenian circles. More than 300 academics and professionals from around the world have signed a statement condemning what they believe to be the Holy See's "complicity" in what they call Azerbaijan's "cultural erasure" of Armenian heritage.
This statement follows a controversial conference held on April 10, 2025, at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, entitled "Christianity in Azerbaijan: History and Modernity." Organized by Azerbaijani institutions, the conference was perceived as an attempt to rewrite history by downplaying the Armenian presence in the region, notably by labeling Armenian churches as "Caucasian Albanians."
Some nuance is needed. The Holy See, given its unique position on the international stage, often seeks to maintain relations with controversial regimes to promote a degree of peace and facilitate the Church's mission in territories where its existence is sometimes threatened. Demonstrating a degree of realism, Cardinal Koovakad, upon signing the controversial agreement, insisted on the need for "concrete gestures of cooperation," particularly from Azerbaijan.
However, these precautions are unlikely to be enough to disarm the critics who fear that the Holy See risks compromising its moral credibility, particularly among Armenian Christian communities who feel abandoned.