On Monday, June 20, 2022, the Bektashi World Headquarter- Holy See, in collaboration with Bektashi Quarter of Skrapar, under the special care of the Bektashian World Grandfather, His Holiness, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj, conducted the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Backa in Skrapar.
In the greeting of the occasion, the World Grandfather, Dede Edmond Brahimaj, among other things, said: "Dear faithful, local and benevolent brothers who came here for this event and from other administrative units of Cologne, as far as Skrapari, Gjirokastra, Tepelena, Berati and beyond, today on this day of the traditional pilgrimage, which also coincides with the 203rd anniversary of father Fetah's birth!
As the Bektashian Great Grandfather, I bless and wish you all to have more health, joy, harmony and goodness in your families, more dedication to the bright path of Haxhi Bektash Veli, more worship and faith in the Great God!
Today we return to this sacred and beautiful place massively, after a two-year interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a situation that temporarily separated us physically, but which meanwhile served for more reflection, for more human love between us and for the need of a fraternal commitment without any distinction, so that these difficult days that we are going through these times, end as soon as possible and that human normality prevails in our souls.
Of course, today, on this marked day, we remember father Fetah, who gave his best for the historic town of Backa. The enlightened mind and hand of this Bektashi cleric, has made and left history in this world where we are gathered today. He erected this wonderful tekke with a special architecture, where the symbolism of our peaceful Bektashi mission is best embodied, where the engraving by him on the gate of the tekke of the double-headed eagle, the symbol of the Albanian flag, best reflects the motto our Bektashian, "Without homeland, there is no religion!" Thanks to this Bektashi cleric, but also in the future, just like all Bektashi objects, especially in the most difficult times that the nation has gone through, this teqe with the name, was not only the hearth of the spiritual rest of the believers, but also the center of patriotic education, national resistance to foreign invasions and shelter where the beautiful Albanian language was learned and written. In this mission, the cooperation and irreplaceable role of the patriots of Backa, Helmës, Potom, Staravecka, Nikollar, etc., remains irreplaceable.
With his education-loving and patriotic contribution, father Fetahu became known among the population of these areas and of Korça, Kolonje, Skrapar and Përmet, where he was physically present but also with his warm and persuasive speech, with the preaching of love for God and the nation. He maintained close ties with the famous tekkes of Melçan, Frashër, Prišta, Qesaraka. He was also Alushi's father's close friend,
This reality of the time, the ties between Father Fatah and believers and the inhabitants of the land, created an absolute human and spiritual respect and obedience, to the extent of a myth, so that for everything, people swore: "for father Fatah" and "Allah, father Fetah".
Father Fetah's patriotic role was very prominent. He was active in the framework of the Albanian League of Prizren, taking an active part in its branches for South Albania and in the meeting organized by father Alushi and Abdyl Frashëri in the town of Frashëri at the end of May 1878, before the League of Prizren. Also, he opened a school for this region, where those freedom fighters who filled the ranks of the fighters in all the Albanian efforts of the years 1878-1912 received their first knowledge.
Sisters and brothers!
I want to thank all of you once again for coming to this pilgrimage, but also other believers and well-wishers who did not have the opportunity to be here physically, especially the immigrants of these three who left in search of a better life good, but whose mind and heart are here, in their birthplace, in this holy place.
I also thank the Bektashi Quarter of Skrapar, secretary Zalo Qato, for the dedication and work they do, among other things, and to recover and advance the glory of this community that is inseparably connected with father Fetah.
God bless you!
Amin! "
Prepared:
Xhorxhin Cullhaj
