Location: Southeast of the Transcaucasia. It borders to Russia on the north and Iran on the South
Territory: 86 600 square km (more than 17 000 square km of which are occupied by Armenia )
Population: 8 388 000 people (July, 2005)
Official language: Azerbaijani
Religion: Muslim - 93,4 % (70 % љof whom are Shiites, 30 % - Sunnites), Ortodox - 2,5 %, Monoficits - 2,3 %, Others - 1,8 %, (according to census returns in 1995)
Christianity came to Azerbaijan as far back as apostle times. According to traditions first preachers were apostle Bartholomew (he was martyred there) and a disciple of apostle Thaddai Elisha, who was called apostle of Albania. In 313 Albanian people led by king Urnair was baptized from Saint Gregory Enlightener, and Christianity became the state religion of Caucasian Albania. In the middle of IV century Albanian church received autocephaly. Excepting short period of secession to monofizity in the middle of VI century for all the other time unlike Armenians Albanians follow Orthodox faith.
In VIII century Arabians conquered the land and started forcible islamization of local people. Besides that being settled in Transcaucasia caliphs brought the church of Caucasian Albania under submission of the Armenian church. In 706 ac the last orthodox catholicos named Nercess (Bakura) was deposed from his position and Armenians began displacement of Albanian clergy because of their, as they said, backsliding to khalkidonity.
In the beginning of XVII century there were quite many catholic missioners in the territory of Azerbaijan. From historical documents we have examples of charitable, translating and medical activity of the catholic missioners, and their help to local people.
In 1836 after Azerbaijan was annexed to Russian Empire and Albanian Catholicosat was abolished by Nicolai the First’s rescript. Instead of it they settled two eparchies and vicariate under Armenian church jurisdiction (Echmiadzin patriarchy). At the same time Russian Irtodox Church came to
Azerbaijan.
