Kosovo - Sufi dervishes mark birth of Ali | Editor’s Pick | 24 Mar 16

Members of Kosovo’s Sufi religious order, known locally as Dervishes, on Thursday performed rituals to mark the start of spring and the birth of Ali, a revered figure in Islam. The celebrations include hours of trance-like swaying and chanting of prayers, and piercing their bodies with needles and knives. Kosovo’s Dervish community carries on centuries-old mystical practices, such as self-piercing with needles and knives, as a way to earn salvation and find a path to God. Sufi Dervishes of the Rifa’i order are a religious cult founded in the 12th century in Basra, Iraq. Find out more about AP Archive and how to licence our footage for commercial use: Story number for this item is: 4029088