For several days last summer, we noticed a huge increase in sheep being led down our city street, all heading east. Some were walking, some were transported in horse-drawn carts, some in the back of trucks, and even some suspended in baskets across the back of a donkey. They were heading to Mount Tomorri, which is the highest peak in central Albania and is popularly believed to be the home of the gods. In fact, some think the mountain itself is a god—Baba Tomor an ancient Illyrian god whose legends are well known in this area. Some of the villagers swear oaths on Baba Tomor, which is considered stronger than an oath sworn on the Koran or the Bible.
According to Robert Elsie in A Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology and Folk Culture, many people in the region, out of respect or fear, refer to the mountain simply as “it” and swear “për atë cukë” (“by that peak”).

There is an old connection between Tomorri and sun worship, probably because of its location east of the city. Also, in times past, Orthodox Christians would climb the mountain on Assumption Day in honor of the Virgin Mary.

However, I soon learned that the reason for the increased sheep traffic was the annual Bektashi pilgrimage held for five days each summer. The Bektashi are an Islamic Sufi order of dervishes, a major syncretic religious movement in southern Albania. They believe in Allah, Mohammed, and Ali. The Islamic Sunni majority do not recognize the Bektashi as Muslim. Bektashi pray only twice a day instead of five times, and they do not consider it necessary to prostrate themselves or face toward Mecca in prayer. Some Bektashi even drink alcohol. They are a mystical order who emphasize the inner spiritual life. The Bektashi have also added some Christian doctrines to their pagan/Islamic mixture of beliefs. They come from everywhere, especially southern Albania, to make animal sacrifices on the peak of Mount Tomorri.

Some Albanian friends invited me to witness the event with them, assuring me that I could take pictures and video. It is something that very few outsiders ever have the opportunity to see, and it was an opportunity to gather more information about Albanian beliefs and practices.

Our family prayed about whether to attend. We felt led that I should go and the rest of the family should stay home and pray for me. Later, we were glad they didn’t join me.

Our group of seven men made the trip together up the steep, rocky road. The first thing I noticed when we arrived at our destination was the blood. Bright red streams ran from the place of sacrifice. Although I was told what to expect, somehow I was not fully prepared for the carnage. James, my Peace Corps buddy, called it a blood fest. I saw more than one person get sick because of what they saw. I watched the man who killed the sheep dip his fingers in the blood and smear it on the foreheads of each member of the group or family who had brought the sheep. Then, after each sheep was skinned, it was roasted and feasted upon. Many brought their own sheep; others purchased them onsite. Also for sale were bread, cheese, and candles. Gypsy beggars fished for generosity. The worshipers left candles burning, which reminded me of the Orthodox Christian tradition.

The Muslim holy man, Abbas Ali, was buried in a mausoleum constructed on the mountain in 1620, and his bones are venerated every year at this time. I saw people placing money and flowers on the grave. A young man standing by the place of sacrifice caught my attention because of the shirt he was wearing. One side read “supreme” and the other said “sacrifice” with a figure that appeared to be hanging on a cross. If the young man believed that Jesus was the supreme sacrifice, why was he sacrificing a sheep?
Bektashism is an illustration of what could happen if we evangelize without taking the time to research the worldview and understand Albanians’ deeply held beliefs and fears. They might seem to understand and accept the fundamentals of our faith and even read their Bibles and profess faith in Christ as their Savior and be baptized. But what if they don’t completely let go of their conflicting beliefs? What if they try to add Christianity on top of everything else? What salvation does a Christian veneer bring to a pagan heart? What is needed is a new heart. Can we leave them knowing about Jesus without really knowing Him? Is it fair to call them reached with the gospel when they don’t see a conflict between their old rituals and superstitions and their new Christianity? Truth mixed with a lie is still a lie, only a more deceptive one. This has been a strategy of the devil since the beginning. We want to be sure we aren’t unwittingly overlooking the lies planted by the enemy of souls deep within Albanian hearts.

At the same time, we want to be careful that we don’t destroy anything that is not contrary to the truth just because it’s different from the way we do things in the States. Yes, cultural research is tedious and time-consuming, but we believe it is vital preparation for any effective cross-cultural evangelistic effort. After all is said and done, only unmixed truth will set Albanians free.

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