TIRANA, Sept. 24 – The religious holiday of Kurban Bajram was marked in Albania on Thursday with early morning prayers and family dinners.
Kurban Bajram, as the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha is locally known, is an official holiday in Albania.
Ceremonies started with early morning prayers and distribution of food among families, friends and the poor.
“I pray that this celebration brings in Albanian homes more goodness, closeness and love among each other, to work for the good of our society, the nation and all of humanity,” said a statement by Bujar Spahiu, the deputy leader of the Albanian Muslim Community. “May God bless our nation and our homeland.”
Albanian Muslim Community leaders also met with senior officials and politicians in the country, a regular protocol held each year.
One of the world’s most secular societies, Albania has a long history of religious cohabitation and tolerance.
It has several national holidays based on religious festivals of its two primary faiths, Islam and Christianity and their four officially recognized religious orders: Hanafi and Bektashi Islam as well as Orthodox and Catholic Christianity.
