MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia handed over an invitation to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Moscow Patriarchate said.

"Speaking of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, I think everything has been on quite a good path <…>. Before leaving Moscow, I had an opportunity to meet with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, <…> and he asked me to pass you an invitation for festivities marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory so that you can visit Moscow and celebrate this important occasion," the Patriarchate quoted the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church as saying on its website.

Russia’s Patriarch Kirill departed on a pastoral visit to Azerbaijan on Saturday, the Patriarchate said earlier. During his visit, the patriarch is scheduled to conduct a liturgical service at the Holy Myrrhbearers Cathedral in Baku and meet with Allahshukur Pashazade, the Sheikh ul-Islam and Grand Mufti of the Caucasus.