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Azerbaijani service of RFE/RL published a video of a marriage certificate handing ceremony in the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, where the official tells the newly married couple about Azerbaijan’s former president, Heydar Aliyev, and voices wishes connected with him.

“I wish that you have Heydar Aliyev’s success, that you respect Heydar Aliyev’s great soul. He was our greatest aqsaqal, and the pride of Azerbaijan. I wish all your dreams come true. Let Allah grant you all the happy days Heydar Aliyev saw in his life. Let Allah be by your side during your whole life,” the woman says.

The cult of personality of Heydar Aliyev was initiated during his lifetime, and this process has been on since his death. Streets and parks, various enterprises (including the airport in Baku and refineries) have been named in honor of the former president. In the textbooks, Heydar Aliyev is called a "great leader" and “savior of Azerbaijan.” According to BBC, the critics say that the cult of personality of Heydar Aliyev was created partly in order to legitimate his son’s ruling.

Related:
Azadlig: Azerbaijani authorities remove Heydar Aliyev’s portraits from streets to conceal ‘cult of personality’ from Europeans

IWPR: In Azerbaijan, personality cult around father and son Aliyevs worked its way into books used by every schoolchild