Abstract
The sacred fire, often called living fire or new fire continued to be kindled in sheepfolds from Moldavia and Bukovina up to the second half of the last century. The article is based on archive information and investigates each characteristic of this practice: who could make the living fire, how they were allowed to start the fire, the time to kindle it and the purpose of the fire. Comparisons with similar aspects from international folk culture underline a common perception on the discovery that shaped the history of human civilization. The approach uses linguistic, historical proofs as well as methods and arguments pertaining to cultural anthropology to reveal a millennium old fascination encapsulated in folk practices and beliefs.