Every summer, as June reaches its final days, fires are lit in towns and villages across Greece. People gather around the flames, music fills the evening and one of the country’s most distinctive summer traditions comes to life.
Known as Klidonas, the custom is associated with the feast of St. John the Baptist and is celebrated around June 23–24, close to the summer solstice.
One of its most spectacular traditions is the lighting of bonfires and the custom of jumping over the flames, an act traditionally associated with purification, renewal, health and good fortune.
This video captures the fire at the heart of this remarkable Greek tradition.
🔥 St. John’s Fire (Klidonas) is one of Greece’s oldest traditions, with roots in ancient times.
Klidonas – A Living Greek Tradition
Klidonas in Greece is much more than a summer celebration.
The tradition combines elements of Greek folk culture, seasonal rituals, divination and customs that have been passed from one generation to another.
The name Klidonas is connected to the ancient Greek word klidon, associated with a sign, prophetic sound or omen. The custom traditionally included rituals intended to reveal something about the future, particularly love and marriage.
Over time, these traditions became closely associated with the celebration of Agios Ioannis – St. John the Baptist.
Today, Klidonas survives in different forms in communities across Greece, keeping alive a fascinating part of the country’s cultural heritage.
St. John’s Fires and the Summer Solstice
Fire is one of the most powerful symbols associated with Klidonas.
On the evening of June 23, bonfires are traditionally lit and people jump over the flames. In some parts of Greece, dried May Day wreaths are also burned in the fires.
The symbolism of fire reaches far beyond the spectacle itself.
Fire has long been associated with purification and renewal, while midsummer fire traditions occur around the period of the summer solstice, the longest days of the year.
Jumping over the fire has traditionally been connected with leaving misfortune behind and welcoming health and good fortune.
It is a dramatic ritual, but also a deeply communal one: people gather around the same flames and repeat something generations before them also experienced.
🔥 St. John’s Fire (Klidonas) is one of Greece’s oldest traditions, with roots in ancient times.
From Ancient Beliefs to Modern Greece
One of the most fascinating aspects of Greek culture is the way traditions can change while preserving echoes of much older beliefs.
Klidonas is a striking example.
Elements involving fire, water, divination, fertility and seasonal renewal have parallels with much older practices, while the contemporary celebration is firmly associated with St. John and Greek folk tradition. Scholars studying the custom describe a mixture of ritual divination, fire-jumping, music and communal celebration, with regional variations throughout Greece.
This makes Klidonas particularly interesting for anyone exploring Greek history, folklore and traditional customs.
It is not simply something preserved behind glass in a museum.
It is a tradition that people still gather to experience.
Greek Traditions Beyond the Famous Islands
For many international travelers, Greece immediately brings to mind the blue waters of the Aegean and famous destinations such as Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Crete.
But Greek culture extends far beyond beaches and whitewashed island villages.
Across mainland Greece and the Greek islands, local festivals, religious celebrations, music, food and centuries-old customs remain an important part of everyday cultural identity.
Klidonas belongs to this other side of travelling in Greece.
Experiencing a traditional celebration can reveal something that a beautiful beach or famous archaeological monument cannot: a connection between a place, its people and their collective memory.
St. John’s Fire Festival (Klidonas) | Ancient Greek Tradition
Fire, Tradition and a Greek Summer Night
As darkness falls, the flames become brighter.
People gather around the fire.
Then, one after another, they leap across it.
For a few moments, an old Greek tradition becomes something immediate and alive.
The fires of St. John and the Klidonas tradition are reminders that travelling through Greece is not only about discovering places. It can also mean discovering customs that have survived, changed and been passed down through generations.
This video captures one small moment from that tradition — fire, movement and people gathering together on a Greek summer night.
Video & Editing by Thanasis Bounas
Discover more stories about Greece, Greek culture, traditions and travel at Bounas.com
