Anastenaria

The Anastenaria is a centuries-old tradition that comes alive every May in various villages of Northern Greece, including Agia Eleni in Serres, Kerkini, Strymoniko, Lagkadas, Meliki in Imathia, and Mavrolefki in Drama. The central feature of this unique ritual is firewalking — walking barefoot across burning embers.

It is believed that the Anastenaria may have roots in ancient religious ceremonies connected to the worship of Dionysus, which explains why the Orthodox Church historically viewed it as a pagan custom. Its modern revival, however, was brought to Greece by refugees from Eastern Rumelia (present-day southern Bulgaria) following the population exchange of 1922.

Today, the Anastenarides — the devoted practitioners — form a close-knit community, preserving this sacred tradition with deep reverence. Rather than gathering in churches, they worship privately in special shrines known as "konakia," where a strict hierarchy oversees the safeguarding of holy icons, heirloom handkerchiefs, and ritual artifacts.

The Anastenaria is closely linked to the Feast of Saints Constantine and Helen and takes place over three days, from May 21st to May 23rd.

Step Inside the Anastenaria Ritual

The celebrations begin on May 20th, the eve of the feast, with the ceremonial transfer of the icons of Saints Constantine and Helen to the konaki. Accompanying the icons are the revered "amanetia," sacred handkerchiefs cherished as ancestral treasures. As evening falls, men and women gather to perform a hypnotic, rhythmic dance around the icons and amanetia — a powerful, almost trance-like movement that continues deep into the night.

Following an all-night vigil, the morning of May 21st marks the ritual animal sacrifice — traditionally a ram or a bull — whose meat is shared among the Anastenarides' families. Afterwards, the sacred icons are carried in a solemn procession to the firewalking site.

Throughout the entire ritual, the haunting melodies of the Thracian drum (tambourlo) and the three-stringed Thracian lyra fill the air, a tradition that in older times also included the sounds of the gaida (bagpipe) or the zourna (a type of double-reed woodwind instrument).

As night falls, large wooden logs are burned until a glowing bed of embers forms. Once the flames subside, the Anastenarides gather, dancing in a circle around the burning coals as the music builds to a feverish pitch. The lead Anastenaris hands the sacred icons to the dancers, who then trace the sign of the cross above the embers before stepping barefoot onto the fire.

The firewalking begins with the oldest members and continues with the rest. They carry sacred handkerchiefs and wear silver or gold religious charms — no Anastenaris steps onto the fire without their handkerchief.

Amazingly, despite walking over red-hot embers, the Anastenarides emerge completely unscathed, without burns or injuries — a phenomenon that continues to puzzle scientists and captivates all who witness it.