EL SALVADOR-FIREBALLS Balls of fire light up Salvadoran streets in annual festival

Record ID: 140495

  • Title: EL SALVADOR-FIREBALLS Balls of fire light up Salvadoran streets in annual festival
  • Date: 1st September 2015
  • Summary: NEJAPA, EL SALVADOR (AUGUST 31, 2015) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF TOWN AT NIGHT MAN LIGHTING FIRE WITH MOUTH NEXT TO STATUE OF MAN HURLING FIREBALL STATUE OF FIREBALL HURLING MAN SCARF ON WAIST OF STATUE OF MAN THAT READS: "NEJAPA" LIT FIREBALL IN STATUE'S HAND LIT FIREBALLS IN STREET MEN PICKING UP FIREBALLS AND STARTING TO HURL THEM ACROSS STREET PARTICIPANTS DODGING THROWN FIREBALLS VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS THROWING FIREBALLS IN STREET PARTICIPANT HAVING HER FACE PAINTED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FESTIVAL PARTICIPANT, ANA ALCIRA, SAYING: "It's a story we should never forget, because it is when the volcano erupted. That is how Saint Jeronimo came to Nejapa. He was being carried and where the church was located, that is where the men that were carrying him, fell asleep. After they fell asleep, they awoke and the saint was no longer where they had left him and they found him exactly where the church is located." VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS GETTING READY TO TAKE PART IN FESTIVAL VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS THROWING FIREBALLS
  • Embargoed: 16th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: El Salvador
  • Country: El Salvador
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4A50TYQZX6CM6TBUN81HWFZUN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Young Salvadorans hurled flaming, gasoline-soaked rags at each other on Monday (August 31) night in one of El Salvador's more fiery annual religious celebrations.
    Local residents in the town of Nejapa, located some 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of San Salvador, gather every August 31 to lob fireballs at one another in honour of a huge volcanic eruption in 1922 that forced all of the residents to abandon the town.
    Local churches and their worshippers have embraced the tradition. According to folklore, hot lava that flowed from the volcano was a form of the local saint, Jeronimo, fighting the devil with balls of fire.
    However, this fireball thrower, has a slightly different take on the tradition. She explained how Saint Jeronimo chose to protect the town of Nejapa.
    "It's a story we should never forget, because it is when the volcano erupted. That is how Saint Jeronimo came to Nejapa. He was being carried and where the church was located, that is where the men that were carrying him, fell asleep. After they fell asleep, they awoke and the saint was no longer where they had left him and they found him exactly where the church is located," said festival participant, Ana Alcira.
    The festivities have been going on for over a decade and consist of opposing groups launching palm-sized fireballs at each other.
    Authorities fear the festival might one day get out of hand because there are no rules, but despite the apparent dangers, few serious injuries have been reported.
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