Anastenaria Video

Pagan or Christian? The locals of St. Helen in Northern Greece are all heated up over the origins of their annual firewalking festival- Anastenari.

Legend has it that a thousand years ago, worshippers rescued a number of icons - with special powers to purify, heal and protect - from a burning church and emerged unscathed. Ever since, descendants of those worshippers have carried those same icons across the coals to prove their faith and to seek blessings from St. Constantine.

Whatever the origin, I think we're all in agreement: that's some serious hot coal they're traversing!

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