Baba Eliton

Baba Eliton Pashaj is a Bektashi cleric born on March 6, 1986, in the town of Sevaster in the Vlorë region of Albania. His family has a long history of adherence to Bektashi traditions. After completing his primary and secondary education in Albania, he studied at the Faculty of Theology at Bursa Uludağ University in Turkey. He later continued his graduate studies in the U.S. state of Michigan.

Pashaj is the spiritual leader of the first Albanian Bektashi Tekke in America (Teqeja e Parë Bektashiane në Amerikë), located in the city of Taylor, Michigan, which was founded in 1954 by Baba Rexheb. This tekke was established to preserve the Bektashi tradition during the years when religion was suppressed under Albania’s communist regime.

Eliton Pashaj participates in various academic and cultural events to promote the Bektashi tradition and Albanian culture. For example, he has taken part in Harvard University’s projects and has given talks at events organized by DePaul University.

He is a staunch advocate of traditional Bektashism, while also promoting coexistence among different spiritual currents and harmonious living. His meetings with religious leaders such as Pope Francis and Dr. Ali Erbaş stand as a testament to his ongoing commitment to religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue.

He has also authored a monograph on Baba Hysen Melçani, in which he highlights the role of Bektashi leaders in Albania’s independence struggle and during the Balkan Wars.