Devlaism
When the Yugoslav Wars were over, a small group of Muslim Roma People and Christian Roma People, made their own folk religion called Devlaism or, in the Romani language, "Devleske Dīn". It was created from the Roma people's mythology, fairy tales, apotropaic magic, like the evil eye or Trishula, etc., with Balkans Sufism and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Devla is the name of God in the Romani language and is derived from the Indian word Deva. Beng is the name of the devil.
They believe Devla is the universal God. From Islam, rites like male circumcision are taken, and from Christianity, baptism is taken. Also, deities like Baba Fingo, Saint Sarah, etc., are incorporated. The religion is held very secretly. To be a member of this religion, you must be a Roma person or of partial Roma descent. This religion is against antiziganism and homophobia. They are flexitarians.
References
Books
- Françoise Cozannet, "Zingari. Miti e riti" in Dizionario delle mitologie e delle religioni. Milano, Rizzoli, 1989. ISBN 881714519X.
This article "Devlaism" is from Simple English Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Devlaism.
