A tiny Islamic sect is planning something no one expected: its own version of Vatican City. In Tirana, Albania, the Bektashi Order wants to carve out the world’s newest and smallest country, a spiritual capital just like its Catholic counterpart in Rome.
This new state wouldn’t just be a headquarters. It would be a sovereign country. A place where Bektashis, one of Islam’s most obscure sects, could call their spiritual home. The idea? A peaceful, tolerant microstate rooted in centuries of Sufi tradition, right in the middle of a European capital.
Who Are the Bektashis?
The Bektashis are not your average Muslim sect. They don’t fast during Ramadan, drink alcohol, praise Jesus, and even embrace ideas from old Balkan pagan beliefs. Their roots trace back to Haji Bektash Veli, a 13th-century Sufi mystic whose teachings blended Islam with local traditions.
Over time, they became the spiritual backbone of the Janissaries, the elite Ottoman troops made up of Balkan Christian boys.
When the Janissaries fell, so did the Bektashis’ status. They were banned across the Ottoman Empire, eventually taking refuge in Albania. There, they have stayed quietly influential, deeply Albanian, and surprisingly modern.
GTN / Some say it is a political move. Others see it as overdue recognition for Albania’s unique religious mosaic.
Why Is Vatican City the Comparison?
The idea behind the Bektashi state mirrors Vatican City, a religious micro-nation within a larger country. It would be symbolic, spiritual, and autonomous. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the proposal at the United Nations, with his full support behind it.
Either way, it is a first. No other Islamic sect has ever claimed its own Vatican City-style country. And if it happens, it will be smaller than Vatican City itself.
The Sect Breaks the Mold
In a world where religious groups often clash, the Bektashis stand out for their peace-first, live-and-let-live approach. They reject violence. They don’t push dogma. They support interfaith harmony. That is rare, especially in an age when religion often divides.
They have good relations with Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Sunni Muslims. Even Mother Teresa gets mentioned in the same breath as their leaders.
Politics, Religion, and Power Plays
Declaring a new country is tricky—just ask Kosovo or Transnistria. But the Bektashis have an advantage. Albania isn’t trying to kick them out; it is offering them land. That alone sets this apart from other breakaway attempts.
The News / Despite being a minority, probably closer to 5% of the population, not the claimed 50%, they are treated like a national treasure.
Still, global recognition is the big hurdle. Without it, this new Vatican City remains unofficial. But with the U.S. likely to back it and Turkey sitting on the fence, things could move fast. Turkish President Erdogan has had a rocky relationship with Alevis and Bektashis, who lean secular and leftist.
He has used sectarian lines in politics before, but he might also see this as a way to boost Turkish influence in the Balkans.
It Will Need Recognition
For this Islamic microstate to really count, it needs recognition from the broader Muslim world. That includes big players like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Iran might try to block it on theological grounds. Bektashis don’t exactly toe the Shia or Sunni line. But they may not matter if the rest of the Muslim world stays open.
Recognition is power. It gives the Bektashis a platform. With it, they could do something no other sect has done: speak for the oppressed. Some believe this mini-state could take cases to international courts on behalf of other persecuted sects, like Syria’s Alawites.
