Papal coronation him, approaching one by one and kissing his hand. Then the archbishops and bishops approached and kissed his feet. Following this, at least from the beginning of the 16th century, the newly elected pope was carried in state through St. Peter's Basilica on the "sedia gestatoria", under a white canopy, with the papal flabella (ceremonial fans) to either side. Instead of the papal tiara, he wore a jewelled mitre (the episcopal "mitra pretiosa"). Three times, the procession was stopped, and a bundle of flax lashed to a gilded staff was burnt before the newly elected pontiff, while a master of
Religion in Azerbaijan Religion in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan is an overwhelmingly Muslim country. Estimates include 96.9% (CIA), 90.7% (Berkley Center, 2012), 99.2% (Pew Research Center, 2009) of the population identifying as Muslim. Most are adherents of Shia Islam (approximately 85%), with a minority (15%) being Sunni, differences traditionally have not been defined sharply. Most Shi'a are adherents of orthodox Ithna Ashari school of Shi'a Islam. Following many decades of Soviet atheist policy, religious affiliation is nominal in Azerbaijan and Muslim identity tends to be based more on culture and ethnicity than religion. Traditionally villages around Baku and Lenkoran region are considered stronghold of Shi'ism.