gs ▁and ▁G abel s ▁is ▁much ▁higher ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁Alban ians , ▁but ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁the ▁Je v gs ▁is ▁higher ▁than ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁G abel s ▁despite ▁them ▁otherwise ▁being ▁somewhat ▁Alban ized . ▁ ▁Religion ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁Roma ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁are ▁Muslim , ▁having ▁converted ▁during ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁era ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁co er ci ve ▁and ▁non - co er ci ve ▁press ures , ▁in ▁particular ▁to ▁escape ▁the ▁high ▁tax es ▁le ve led ▁on ▁the ▁non - Mus lim ▁population . ▁The ▁surrounding ▁eth nic ▁Alban ian ▁majority ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁some ▁regional ▁S lav ic ▁populations ▁also ▁converted ▁in ▁most ▁areas ▁for ▁similar ▁reasons . ▁In ▁the ▁modern ▁era , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁tr end ▁of ▁conversion ▁of ▁Muslim ▁Roma ▁to ▁Christian ity . ▁Both ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Christians ▁employ ▁a ▁degree ▁of ▁syn cret ism ▁with ▁traditional ▁religious ▁practices . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁‘ ’ G abel s ’ ’ ▁were ▁histor ically ▁almost ▁entirely ▁Muslim ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁( before ▁more ▁recent ▁convers ions ▁to ▁Orth odox ▁Christian ity ), ▁the ▁‘ ’ J ev gs ’ ’ ▁have ▁been ▁divided ▁between ▁Muslim s ▁and ▁Orth odox ▁Christians . ▁ ▁The ▁fe ast ▁of ▁Saint ▁George , ▁celebrated ▁on ▁the ▁sixth ▁of ▁May , ▁is ▁an ▁occasion ▁of ▁param ount ▁importance ▁for ▁Muslim ▁and ▁Christian ▁Roma ▁al ike , ▁and ▁Saint ▁George ▁is ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁Roma ▁people . ▁ ▁Trad