ANASTENARIA II

ANASTENARIA
"Anastenaria" is a festivity celebrated twice a year, in January, when it lasts for three days, and in May when it lasts for four days. The custom was popular among Christians in Constantinople in the 5th century. It was revived in 1922, in Thrace first. Anastenarides, the modern Dionysus-Christians are living in small societies. These people hardly ever go to church but they own private temples called "Konaki" (lodges). Their top leader is "Saint's anastenariko icon" and their top prelate is Archianastenaris, who is a diviner, exorcist, therapist, and founder of temples and houses. This tradition comes from the Vlach refugees fled from Eastern Rumelia (Rumelia="land of the Romans" in Turkish), to Greek Macedonia. It echoes analogous cults of the ancient Thracians related to the dead ancestors.
The ceremony starts on 20th May with animal sacrifices and the transfer of the icons of St. Constantine and Eleni from the village' s church to "Konaki", where sleeplessness and general preparation takes place. The most famous for this ritual is the village of St. Eleni.
In the morning of the 21st May, Anastenarides bring the icons to Agiasma (holy water), a holy place in a small wood. These icons, which are called "Hares", portray the holy couple of St. Constantine and St. Eleni. According to Anastenarides, it's the "Hares" icons which give them the ability to walk on fire. The Konaki is, in fact, the substitute of the temple, while the Hares are the substitutes of its priestesses. In ancient Greece, each temple had 12 priestesses (called "Horae"), headed by a 13th member: the Great Mother-Goddess. In Babylon, they were named harines and in Israel, hors.
In the afternoon of the 21st May the holy fire is lit by a particular mystic, who is entitled to it because of an ancestral heritage. The coal walkers are not ordinary people. They all have the same origins and most of them are descendants of people who used to perform the same ritual. In Anastenaria the participants are dancing in a circle around the holy fire, while the music exasperates the soul, increases the rhythm and the volume. The dance can last for many hours before it culminates in the firewalking. After a while the Saint shows the way and the first mystic occupied by the holy mania, walks barefoot on the coal fire and dances while he holds an icon or a holy hanky. The mystic's body is not harmed in any way during that time and that' s because of a chemical reaction which remains unknown to science. After the first coal-walker, the 12 other walkers follow, and their ritual dance continues until the coal has cooled off. The participants, especially when they are neophytes, are in an agony of suspense, uneasiness and agitation. They let out screams of grief and even when not dancing, are not aware of the presence of others. It seems as if most of them are trying to rid themselves of something that tortures them from inside. Grotowski seemed to have been fully aware of the fact that for the impulses to be unblocked the exhaustion of the body is necessary. They step onto the coals where they curse Evil with the words: "May it turn into ashes!’". The anastenarides try to extinguish the fire with their feet when they step on the coals as, in this way, they believe they will kill evil and diseases.
In the course of the Anastenaria ceremony, the participants claim to come in contact with their ancestors, who were also anastenarides, and the saints who protect the ritual. They also try to pass the custom on to the younger generations to affirm the unity and the continuity of the community. This Thracian worship, which has been preserved from the Ancient times, preserves many remains of the Dionysian worship and proves the uninterrupted continuation of dionysiasm until today. In other words, it is a Christianized form of the very old worship of Dionysus.
After the fiesta is finished, the anastenarides are talkative and telling jokes on the night of the last day, and their eyes portray a sublime serenity. They are saying "I feel young again". The participants regain the openness of a child.