Vatican Pope Francis arrived in Azerbaijan on Sunday for a 10-hour visit aimed at encouraging the country's multi-faith society and likely overlooking recent criticism of a referendum that extends the president's term and powers.

Azerbaijan has a tiny Catholic population — fewer than 300 Azeris are Catholics. Several thousand foreigners make up the rest of the Catholic community, and Azeri Jews, Zoroastrians and other minorities round out Azerbaijan's religious mix, Fox News reported.

Francis will meet with representatives of all the main faiths as well as President Heydar Aliyev before heading back to Rome on Sunday night after a weekend visit that took him first to Georgia.

Source: MENA