Fire dancing has gained in popularity with new age thinking and philosophy, but in Thrace in the prefecture of Serres, northern Greece, fire dancing (pyrovasia in Greek) still exists in much the same form as it has done for centuries.
Anastenaria, the Ancient Custom of Fire Dancing
On the feast day of Saints Constantine and his mother Helen, the residents of Aghia Eleni, Mavrolefki, Lagadas, and some other small villages in the area perform fire dances between May 21st and 23rd. The dances are performed by a group of villagers known as the Anastenarides or shakers or tremblers, the words best describing the trance state the dancers are in when they dance over hot embers carrying sacred icons and red scarves.
The ceremonies begin with the ritual sacrifice of a sheep the kurban, which is then shared out in the village. The holy icons are taken from the church or perhaps the konaki which are spaces in homes where icons and oil lamps, candles and red scarves are kept; they are the spiritual centre of homes in the villages rather than the church, which is only visited on special occasions. This is the lead up to the main event, the fire dancing, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of the tabor and the lyre. The dance is performed by men and women who work themselves into a trance until they can walk and dance over the coals without feeling the heat or having burns on their feet afterwards. They say it is a purification ceremony and part of their Orthodox faith.
The Modern Origins of Fire Dancing in Thrace
The modern custom in Thrace dates back to 1923 when Greeks from Turkey were exchanged for Turks in Greece after the First World War. In Bulgaria the same traditions can be seen and the villagers in Lagadas are the descendants of Greek-speaking Christian villagers of what is now Bulgaria.
Locals have a Legend of a Burning Church and Crying Icons
The villagers of Aghia Eleni say that there was a fire in the church of Saint Helen (Eleni) and that the villagers could hear crying from inside the church. They rushed in to save whoever was inside and found that the noise was coming from the icons. These were rescued and are supposedly the ones the dancers hold while they are in the bed of hot embers.
A Byzantine scholar, Anna Chatzinikolou disputed this claim in the 19th century, saying that having examined the icons, in her opinion they did not exist until1833. However the villagers stick to their legend and no one else has tried to disprove it.
Links with Dionysus and the Orphic Mysteries
Although the villagers claim they are following ancient Christian traditions, fire dancing is associated with the pagan cult of Dionysus and the Orphic mysteries, as fire was seen as the great purifier, which the body and soul needed to go through in order to gain eternal peace and blessedness. Fire dancing therefore is a purifying experience leading the dancers closer to eternal happiness and immortality.
The Orphic Mysteries have as their basis the myth of Zagreus the son of Zeus and Persephone. Zeus, the proud father decided that his young son should be King of the gods, sat him on the throne and gave him the regal lightning bolts. The Titans disliked this and egged on by the jealous Hecate, they tricked little Zagreus into handing over his lightning bolts to play with toys. They killed him and hacked his body to pieces; but Athena took his heart and gave it to Zeus, who either made a potion of it and had Semele drink it, or ate the heart himself. Zeus destroyed the Titans and Dionysus was born.
The Titans symbolized evil and for the followers of Orphism it was necessary to rid themselves of all traces of the evil of their ancestors the Titans, through purification and asceticism, which included purification by fire.
Science versus Religion
Scientists say the fir walking and dancing does not burn the feet because they are poor heat conductors as is wood, and the dancers are not standing still for long periods on the fire beds. Anthropologist Loring Danforth is quoted in the National Geographic News as saying that scientific explanations do not “debunk or diminish or invalidate the value of the ritual”, and if you witness it you will probably agree that it is a very moving spectacle.
If you are in Greece at this time you could spend a few days exploring Thessaloniki and visiting the villages of the Anastenaria for yourself and experience this rather mystical celebration.
Sources
W.C.Guthrie, 1967 (revised), "Orpheus and Greek Religion: A Study of the Orphic Movement" N.Y. Norton
John Roach Sept 1st 2005, "Why Fire Walking Doesn't Burn; Science or Spirituality?" National Geographic News
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Lynne Evans - I have a BA(hons) in English and American Lit, and a MEd in TEFL and multicultural education.I have been a consultant in the fields of ...
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