Anastenaria (Lagkadas) - Balkan traditions

Anastenaria – fire-walking ritual, a centuries-old tradition

A small community in the village of Lagkadas near Thessaloniki, Greece, perpetuates a tradition whose origins lie back in the ancient times of this region in the Balkans.

Anastenaria, known also as “Pyrovasia”, meaning walking on fire, is a profound ritual, with religious influences, both fascinating and difficult for those outside the community to understand.

The ritual is performed mainly around the celebration of Saint Emperors Constantine and Helen by a group of people keen on preserving this tradition.

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