The peaceful Bektashian atmosphere during the days of the great Bektashian pilgrimage to the Mystical Mountain of Tomorri, (21-25) was also reflected on Monday, August 22, 2022, in the surroundings of the Tekke , with the massive participation of clerics, believers, state officials and well-wishers, but and from North Macedonia, Kosovo and other countries where Bektashi communities live and work. The special feature of this year’s pilgrimage, unlike the previous ones, were the measures that had been taken, since the presence of the new, asphalted road, the addition of accommodation and service facilities in the Kulmaku tekke, the creation of waiting conditions and the performance of the relevant rites by the pilgrims, up to and including the full health service and material-technical supply. For all these, they came as a result of the continuous care of the Bektashian World Grandfather, His Holiness, Dede Edmond Brahimaj and the work done by the Bektashi Quarter administration and its secretary, Zalo Qato. “…This year’s pilgrimage was more organized, with better measures and with greater care from us and the local Quarter. A commendable work, from the cooperation and concrete support, have also been given by the Prefecture of Berat District, the Municipality of Skrapar and the Directorate of Police of the District of Berat, which I thank and bless them. who, during all the days of the pilgrimage, stayed among the believers on Mount Tomorri.
THE CEREMONY
In addition to many believers, in the relevant ceremony, Bektashian clerics and other religious faiths, there were also Valbona Zylyftari, Prefect of Berat District, Klodian Buku, Chairman of the State Committee for Cults, Adriatik Mema, Mayor of Skrapar Municipality, etc.
The ceremony was opened by Zalo Qato, Secretary of the Grandmother of Skrapar, who thanked those present and briefly presented the investments and the work they had done during the year, in the field of investments in this sacred object and the creation of the best possible conditions for the reception of pilgrims. Next, they greeted Dede Edmond Brahimaj, Klodian Buku, Chairman of the State Committee for Cults, etc….
WORLD GRANDFATHER OF BEKTASHI COMMUNITY , DEDE EDMOND BRAHIMAJ
“Dear brothers and thousands of Bektashian clerics and other religious faiths, present in this traditional annual activity! Dear representatives of accredited foreign embassies in Tirana! Dear Bektashian believers who came not only from Albania, but also from North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, various European countries, and even the United States of America! First, I thank everyone who has traveled to come today to the mystical mountain of Tomorri, to be together on this historic pilgrimage. May God be pleased with your devotion, love and worship to Him, and grant all the wishes of you and your families! As the World Grandfather of the Bektashis, I want to greet you from the bottom of my heart and bless all of you who have populated this holy place today, convinced that this large number of believers and benefactors, this joy that I see in the eyes and hearts of everyone , I will make us more human, more loving, I will bring us closer to the Creator, from where we find hope for the solution of our problems and worries and the arrival of better days in this troubled world today. Carrying out the rites of this traditional Bektashian holiday together, conversing with each other, bowing with gratitude and pride in front of the graves of dervishes and Bektashian fathers, who kept alive for centuries the spirit of freedom and faith in God , we will get more energy, faith and hope. Right next to us, on the height of Cuka, we have our saint Abaz Ali, about whom it has been said and will be said in eternity through the centuries, who, despite the legends that are told, for us he is and will remain a wonderful reality of masculinity before fear, of life before death, of spiritual purity in the face of the Yezidis, of truth in the face of lies. He has been and will remain the model of the man and the brave who was identified to the end with the excellent conscience of Imam Hussein, may God’s peace be upon him! The name and work of Abaz Ali have given this Albanian leader not only the sanctity of history, but also the values of the life we lived and are living. The life of Abaz Ali, like the life and work of all our dervishes and fathers over the years, is a model for every believer, for every follower and lover of the enlightened path of Haxhi Bektash Veli. As you know, Albania, as well as the whole world, is going through difficult situations these days, poverty, fading hope, pandemics accompanied by victims, economic and financial problems, even bloody wars, such as the one in Ukraine. Reconciling our souls as believers and benefactors, we must join the appeal for love and peace, human respect and charity, we appeal to the statesmen wherever they are, to avoid the language and the means of violence, to call on human reason and to humble themselves before the Creator and to do everything that this difficult situation ends as soon as possible faster. We Bektashis who have our motto “Without Homeland we don’t have religion”, have been and are always on the side of good, so we have our moral right to make this appeal and ask everyone to listen to it. We need peace, love and mutual respect, and for this we must all commit ourselves, each according to his abilities. Every year we come here to the Holy place on the pilgrimage days, we find that from year to year, the number of pilgrims is increasing. Likewise, the conditions at Skrapar’s Quarter have been improving. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the secretary of the Bektashi Quarter, Zalo Qato and all those who have worked and contributed in this direction. God bless you! Amin!”
KLODIAN BULKU, CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE COMMITTEE OF CULTS
Dear Grace, Your Holiness Hajji Dede Edmond Brahimaj, Dear believers, friends and participants.
The large number of people present in this Tomorri Days pilgrimage, to honor Abaz Ali and to dedicate to this blessed country, shows so much about the human desire and nature to live in prosperity, peace and harmony. It is exactly this harmony, a typical characteristic of us Albanians, an expression of the will of a stable faith in God and the centuries-old titanic efforts to keep us connected as a nation. We have always known how to be brothers in national affairs, loving and respecting each other regardless of religious affiliation. Just like the example of the figure of Abaz Ali, the standard-bearer of Karbala, a symbol of bravery and fighting spirit, which based on the highest moral values and virtues, became a symbol of honesty and sacrifice. Today, when you see pilgrims gathered from all over Albania, the region and the world, Bektashin and not only, you understand how important it is to be enlightened by these values, which we must pass on to future generations, to better for themselves, their families and their country. For me personally, it is a special pleasure to participate in this religious activity and on behalf of the State Committee for Cults as the institution that represents the State in relations with religious communities, I greet you and thank you all for your contribution and positive messages that you convey every day for the benefit of the common values of interfaith coexistence and harmony, not only in our country but throughout the world. The Albanian state has continuously supported and will support such religious activities, showing special care for access to cult objects that have a greater importance, especially in places where religious pilgrimages are carried out, evidence of which is also this road that brings you here. A special thanks is also due to the state, local and central institutions that are always ready for the smooth running of these religious activities. Letting you fully experience the thrills of this blessed place, I wish you happy and many years of celebration. Thank you!”
The activity was given directly by some televisions in the country and that day and thereafter, it was widely reflected in the written and television media of the country and abroad. After the ceremony, the concert prepared especially for this celebration continued without interruption, where the performance of the well-known singer Dule Malindi was joined by other Albanian singers and dancers from different parts of the country. The rites, the pilgrimage and the whole activity where hundreds of thousands of pilgrims participated in these days, it was a wonderful Bektashi festival, which every year becomes more massive and beautiful.
Prepared by:
Nuri Cuni
Kujtim BORIÇI
