Nestinarstvo (Bulgarian: нестинарство)is a Nestinarstvo (Bulgarian: нестинарство)is a ritual originally performed in several ritual originally performed in several Bulgarian- and Greek-speaking villages in Bulgarian- and Greek-speaking villages in the Strandzha Mountains close to the Black the Strandzha Mountains close to the Black Sea coast in the very southeast of Bulgaria. Sea coast in the very southeast of Bulgaria. It involves a barefooted dance on It involves a barefooted dance on smouldering embers (жарава, zharava) smouldering embers (жарава, zharava) performed by nestinari (нестинари).performed by nestinari (нестинари).

• It is usually performed on the square It is usually performed on the square of the village in front of the whole of the village in front of the whole population on the day of Sts. population on the day of Sts. Constantine and Helen or the day of Constantine and Helen or the day of the village's patron saint. The ritual is the village's patron saint. The ritual is a unique mixture of Eastern Orthodox a unique mixture of Eastern Orthodox beliefs and older pagan traditions beliefs and older pagan traditions from the Strandzha Mountains.from the Strandzha Mountains.

Traditionally, the right to Traditionally, the right to perform the ritual would be perform the ritual would be hereditary and the head hereditary and the head nestinar may be succeeded nestinar may be succeeded only by his or her son or only by his or her son or daughter, and only when he or daughter, and only when he or she is too old or ill to continue she is too old or ill to continue performing it. The head performing it. The head nestinar's house is sacred, nestinar's house is sacred, because it houses the stolnina because it houses the stolnina (столнина) – a small chapel (столнина) – a small chapel where icons of several saints where icons of several saints are arranged, as well as a are arranged, as well as a sacred drum used specifically sacred drum used specifically for the ritual and believed to for the ritual and believed to cure the drummer if he is ill. cure the drummer if he is ill.

• On the day of the ritual the villagers would go to the stolnina led by the head nestinar and the priest, where they would watch him thurify the icons and the other nestinari, symbolically transferring them the spiritual power and inspiration. The people would then head to a holy spring carrying the name of the saint, where they would eat an offering of mutton.

After sunset, the After sunset, the crowd would build crowd would build up a large fire and up a large fire and would dance a horo would dance a horo (a traditional round (a traditional round dance) until the fire dance) until the fire dies and only dies and only embers remain. embers remain.

The Nestinari's barefoot dance on The Nestinari's barefoot dance on embers that follows as the climax of embers that follows as the climax of the night is accompanied by the beat the night is accompanied by the beat of the sacred drum and the sound of of the sacred drum and the sound of a bagpipe. It is popularly thought a bagpipe. It is popularly thought that some of the dancers reach a that some of the dancers reach a religious state of trance while religious state of trance while dancing, explaining why their feet dancing, explaining why their feet don't burn and they allegedly don't don't burn and they allegedly don't feel pain.feel pain.

• In the 20th and 21st century the ritual In the 20th and 21st century the ritual became largely commercialized and is became largely commercialized and is now performed for the foreign tourists now performed for the foreign tourists all over the seaside resorts of the all over the seaside resorts of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast by people Bulgarian Black Sea Coast by people who have little to do with the original who have little to do with the original tradition. A few Bulgarians still perform tradition. A few Bulgarians still perform the ritual in its more authentic form in the ritual in its more authentic form in the villages of Strandzha.the villages of Strandzha.