The Anastenaria : The Fire Dancing Custom in Hagia Heleni, Serres

Year Published: 1969

Complete Record: Documents the annual fire-dancing and sacrificial ceremony commemorating St. Constantine and his mother, St. Helena, as practiced in the village of Serres, in Northern Greece. Footage of villagers gathering for the festival and a group of musicians playing traditional Greek instruments. Two men in suits dig a small pit while another dances around it with a bandana . He jumps in the pit, then the animal is slaughtered and the blood drained into the pit. Shots of the animal being cut into many different pieces, and them being distributed amongst the crowd. People douse themselves with holy water, and people dance ecstatically. The villagers are dressed in either suits or traditional looking Greek garb, giving a formal look to the ceremony and celebration. The people proceed through the village, some in a a long line of people holding hands, all while the band follows and continues to play. All this continues with more eating, drinking, music and dancing in various locations.