President Ilham Aliyev congratulates Orthodox Christians of Azerbaijan on Easter

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated the community of Orthodox Christians of Azerbaijan on Easter Holiday.

Report informs, citing AZERTAC, that the congratulatory message reads:

"Dear compatriots,

"I would like to cordially congratulate you and the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Holy Easter and wish each of you good health and happiness.

"As is historically the case, today Azerbaijan is a native land for everyone who lives here regardless of language, religion and ethnicity. Relations of friendship and fraternity between separate peoples and religions, which are based on mutual respect and trust, have been established in our country, which is reigned by a high culture of co-existence. Preservation and promotion of ethnocultural diversity, rich multicultural values and multi-century traditions of tolerance in our society is one of the key directions of our policy.

"Azerbaijan, in which overall attention and care for the cultural heritage of different ethnicities is guaranteed, is a rare country exhibiting exemplary relations between the state and religion. In these conditions of national and moral unity, our Christian countrymen experience their customs and traditions and religious beliefs, as well as their language and culture, and decently fulfil their civil duties to take a close part in all the fields of our political, social and social and cultural life.

"Dear friends!

"Easter, which you solemnly celebrate in Azerbaijan every year, is an embodiment of feelings of freshness, revival, mercy and empathy. On this honored day, I would like to again wish all of you a good holiday mood and your families joy and well-being.

"Happy holiday!"