Freshly returned from his visit to Cuba just a few weeks ago, the Vatican Secretary of State departed yesterday for a short visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
There has certainly been at least a smattering of worry about the safety of such a move and indeed the Vatican did postpone the visit for two days due to the current unrest in Armenia. However the work of the Holy See's envoys continues especially in places where there is unrest.
Elections held in Armenia on February 19 of this year have provided an opportunity for protesters and police to clash on at least one occasion, establishing an atmosphere of inistability which might prove not the least unsettling for foreign visitors, muchless for dignitaries who are visiting at the invitation of the government and-or the Church. In fact, the Armenian government even declared a 20-day state of emergency.
Cardinal Bertone is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan tomorrow, where he will meet with Muslim leaders and other religious superiors, expressing the desire of the Roman Catholic Church to promoting peace, agreement among people and the good of all. He will then attend the dedication of a new Roman Catholic church which has been built on land previously donated by the father of the current Azerbaijani head of state.
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