BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 30. The Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation signed another agreement on restoration of monuments at Basilica of Saint Paul, TurkicWorld reports.
The document was inked by Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, during the meeting in the Vatican.
The new project envisages the restoration of the statues of St. Paul and St. Peter inside St. Paul's Basilica, as well as the statues of St. Paul and St. Luke in the courtyard of the Basilica.
While touring the basilica complex, accompanied by Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul, the detailed information was provided on the work carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, as well as next phase of restoration efforts.
Basilica of Saint Paul, the second largest basilicas in the Vatican after St. Peter's Basilica, is one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome. Distinguished by its monumental dimensions, rich mosaics and long rows of columns, the basilica holds great significance as a religious and cultural monument, annually receiving thousands of pilgrims and tourists.
The restoration project will utilize cutting-edge technologies, namely laser surface cleaning and eco-friendly biological conservation methods, which align with environmental safety standards, and have been successfully implemented previously in the Vatican Gardens.
The delegation also reviewed past restoration and construction efforts conducted within the Basilica under the auspices of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
On September 11, 2024, within the framework of the "Jubilee Year," celebrated by the Holy See every 25 years, a document was signed between the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to ensure the preservation and restoration of the marble coverings and decorative elements of Saint Paul’s Basilica. All restoration and conversation efforts stipulated in the abovementioned agreement have been successfully completed.
