"Laboratory of prayer and pilgrimage"/ Elite students and professors from Europe gather at the Bektashi World Patriarchate

2026-06-30 15:19:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Laboratory of prayer and pilgrimage"/ Elite students and professors

Elite students and professors from Europe gathered at the Bektashi World Patriarchate, where they also met with His Holiness, Haxhi Dede Baba, Edmond Brahimaj, visiting the Holy See in Tirana.

The meeting took place on June 23-25, 2026, at several Bektashi holy sites in other Albanian regions, and was among the surprises of the three-day visit of a select group of students, professors, and renowned architects from Europe.

Unlike a typical conference, this activity was conceived as a research pilgrimage, where participants not only studied monuments and texts, but also experienced firsthand places where prayer continues to be a part of everyday life. The goal was to understand how architecture, landscape, movement, ritual, and community influence the experience of prayer.

The journey began in Laç, on the pilgrimage path to the Church of St. Ndout and the Cave of St. Vlash. Walking along this itinerary gave the researchers the opportunity to understand that pilgrimage is not just the arrival at a holy place, but the path itself, the effort, the waiting and the experience that is built step by step.

The group then continued to the Holy Tekke of Sari Salltik in Kruja. The visit was not only a historical presentation on the figure of Sari Salltik and the Bektashi tradition, but a true spiritual experience. The atmosphere of the mountain, the silence, the stories about the saint and the hospitality of the community created an experience that many of the researchers described as their first contact with the mystical dimension of the Bektashi pilgrimage. For them, it was an opportunity to understand that the pilgrimage is not only a religious practice, but also an inner journey.

The second day took participants to Berat, a city where religious coexistence is carved into the very fabric of the city. Visits to the churches of Saint Nicodemus, the Onufri Museum, the relics of the Seven Saints, the Beqar Mosque, and the King’s Mosque complex, the tomb of Baba Ali, were accompanied by discussions on how Christian and Islamic traditions have coexisted and influenced each other over the centuries. A walk to the Berat Castle, where churches and mosques share the same landscape, became a vivid illustration of Albania’s multi-religious history.

The journey concluded in Tirana, with a visit to the Et'hem Bey Mosque and then to the Bektashi World Headquarters, one of the most significant moments of the entire activity.

The visit coincided with a day of particular importance for the Bektashi believers: the conclusion of Matem, the period of reflection and commemoration of the sacrifice of Imam Hussein, as well as the beginning of preparations for the Feast of Ashura. This coincidence gave the activity a dimension that could not have been planned better. The scholars were not only introduced to the history and philosophy of the Bektashi order, but had the opportunity to see a living tradition up close, at an important moment in its spiritual calendar.

During the visit, they followed the preparations for the holiday, listened to explanations on the meaning of Matem and the symbolism of Ashura and were introduced to the values ??that Bektashism represents: love for humanity, tolerance, peace, dialogue and respect for others. The hospitality of the Grandfather under the leadership of the World Bektashi Grandfather, His Holiness, Haxhi Dede, Edmond Brahimaj created a warm atmosphere, where academic discussion naturally intertwined with human experience. The Grandfather focused on the 800-year history of Bektashism, answering questions from professors who came from afar. The visit to the Bektashism Museum, Library and Archives surprised them and with deep gratitude they thanked Dede Edmond Brahimaj.

On the last day, the event concluded with a reflective workshop on the results of this research trip at the LOGOS College. The researchers discussed how space, place, architecture, ritual, movement, texts, and service influence the experience of prayer, emphasizing that these elements cannot be studied in isolation from the communities that sustain them.

This activity was attended by researchers from some of the most prestigious universities and institutions in Europe, including Ghent University, Universität Hamburg, University of St Andrews, Université de Lausanne, University of Belgrade, UCLouvain, Università degli Studi di Verona, Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, Athenaeum Conservatoire and other partner universities of the COST network.

At the end of this journey, the participants left with a common conviction: Albania is much more than a country with important religious monuments. It is a space where spiritual traditions continue to live, where pilgrimage remains part of the cultural identity, and where interfaith coexistence is not just a chapter of history, but an everyday reality.

In this rich mosaic, the Bektashi World Patriarchate occupies a special place. It is not only the world center of the Bektashi Order, but also a symbol of dialogue, wisdom, and hospitality, proving that spiritual traditions can be a bridge that brings people, cultures, and beliefs closer together.