PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo 's religious diversity came to light this week as the Balkan nation's Christian and Muslim communities both embarked on a traditional period of fasting and spiritual reflection.
This year marks a rare occasion when the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Catholics' Ash Wednesday coincided, encouraging tolerance and understanding between different religions.
Kosovo, a young nation of 2 million people, is more than 90% Muslim and is still reeling from a war in 1998-99 it waged for independence from predominantly Orthodox Christian Serbia. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities have pledged to promote religious and ethnic tolerance following the conflict that killed 13,000 people.
On Wednesday evening, Catholics in Kosovo's capital Pristina gathered at the city's Mother Teresa Cathedral where worshippers had their forehead marked with ashes in a symbol of repentance for sins and humility.
To Catholics, the day marks the start of the 40-day Lent period of penance, solemn reflection and fasting before Easter. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, similarly marking a period of increased worship before the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, started in Kosovo on Thursday.
''It is a special opportunity that this year we have Lent and Ramadan together," said Dode Palukaj, a Catholic. ''What unites us is fasting, shared prayer, solidarity and love.''
Ash Wednesday and the start of Ramadan coincide approximately every 30 years or so. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the start of the month traditionally depends on the sighting of the crescent moon and may vary among countries.
Don Agim Qerkini, the Catholic priest in Pristina, praised religious tolerance in Kosovo over centuries, noting that divisions that still plague Kosovo have been stemming from national rather than religious differences.
