The New Fire Ceremony

The Aztecs believed that, after the Fifth Sun, the world was likely to come to an end again at the close of any 52-year cycle - by fire, or wind, earthquake or flood: or it might be that Glass Butterfly, the Lightning Goddess, would perpetrate the destruction. Or it might come through the anger of Smoky Mirror [Tezcatlipoca]. Hence the passing of each ‘century’-cycle was celebrated by an elaborate New Fire festival.
Holy fires, kept lit during the entire 52 years, were extinguished. All other fires were extinguished (pic 1).

Pic 1: Putting out home fires all through the Aztec world

And if the sun did not rise, terrible hideous figures, called Tzitzimime, the Sky Spirits, would descend upon earth and devour the people. Pregnant women and children put on masks of maguey fibre (mezayacatl) (pic 3), so that in the event of catastrophe, they would not turn into wild animals and devour their neighbours.
Save for the stars in heaven, the most complete obscurity reigned over the earth. A night of terror, in which all trembled, from child to grandparent - for they had no assurance that the dawn would come, that the sun would reappear.

Pic 3: Pregnant Mexica women and babies donned maguey fibre masks to protect themselves

On the summit of the Sacred Hill, the priests waited until the Pleiades reached the exact zenith. On the open breast of a sacrificed victim, the priests then placed the mamalhuaztli, the sticks with which New Fire was made (pic 5). The appointed priest twirled the hard stick with great energy. The multitude below waited in fearful expectation. The most restless were those on the far-off hills. The priest, sweating and panting, worked until the softer wood powdered, smoked, took fire.

Pic 5: A tiny fire is lit in the chest cavity of an Aztec sacrificial victim

Messengers quickly carried it by lit ocotli pine torches to the four cardinal points (pic 7). On all sides, in all the villages, in the remotest provinces, in the most hidden hamlets, these carriers, chosen from the best runners and specially prepared by fasting and religious ceremonies, were waiting in relays, ready to receive the holy flame and distribute it over the empire. Racing down the hillsides, careful not to let the flames go out, these runners passed the precious fire from hand to hand until, in an incredibly short time, it was distributed to all the hamlets of the land. One by one the hearth fires and the altars were relit. Once more comforting shadows danced along the walls.

Pic 7: Speedy Mexica relay runners carry the flame of the New Fire to all points of the country