GREECE: Traditional Easter firework battle takes place on Greek island of Chios

Record ID: 712766

  • Title: GREECE: Traditional Easter firework battle takes place on Greek island of Chios
  • Date: 8th April 2007
  • Summary: YOUNG MAN LIGHTS ROCKETS LINED UP IN ROWS ON RACKS TEAMS FROM PANAGIA ERITHIANI IGNITE ROCKETS THAT ARE FIRED TOWARDS OPPOSING CHURCH DOZENS OF ROCKETS LANDING ON AND AROUND SAINT MARKOS CHURCH WIDE VIEW OF ROCKETS BEING FIRED TOWARDS PANAGIA ERITHIANI PANAGIA ERITHIANI CHURCH BEING HIT BY ROCKETS ROCKETS BEING FIRED TOWARDS SAINT MARKOS CLOSE SHOT OF SAINT MARKOS BEING HIT BY ROCKETS CROSSFIRE OF ROCKETS AS OPPOSING TEAMS FIRE AT EACH OTHER ACROSS VALLEY AT THE SAME TIME ROCKETS HITTING PANAGIA ERITHIANI CHURCH AND SPARKS FLYING VARIOUS VIEWS OF ROCKETS BEING FIRED AND HITTING PANAGIA ERITHIANI VARIOUS SHOTS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THE SPECTACLE AND CLAPPING AND CHEERING ROCKETS BEING FIRED AND HITTING SAINT MARKOS ROCKETS BEING FIRED BY OPPOSING TEAMS AND HITTING CHURCH OF PANAGIA ERITHIANI
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA9JY5YR6ZIV8ZXZUVZKCTFGTG
  • Story Text: Every year during Easter a spectacular war breaks out on the Greek island of Chios between two rival churches
    Its called the rocket war of Vrondados. Once a year during Easter, on the night of the resurrection of Christ, the parishioners of two Orthodox churches in the town of Vrodandos on the Greek island of Chios become for a short time, opponents in a war like no other.
    As the sun sets serenely over the eastern Aegean island, final preparations are made for the spectacular annual tradition.
    When Easter mass takes place to mark the resurrection of Christ at midnight, the two rival gangs fire thousands of handmade rockets across a valley at each other's churches.
    The objective of the battle is to hit the belltower of the other side's church, but what ensues is a huge spectacle of streaking lights whizzing toward each other across the sky, and filling the town with bellowing smoke.
    Air raid sirens wail across the valley to inform the inhabitants and visitors of the approaching rockets, as if in the wake of a World War II bombing, and thousands of people gather to watch as the rockets strike the churches of Saint Markos and Panagia Erithiani.
    Inside the churches, the Easter mass takes place despite the smashing of rockets against its walls, and church goers run to reach the church for mass and watch their approach from the church's protective barbed wire sheeting encircling the church. The church bells ringing to announce Christ's resurrection are drowned by the popping and whizzing sounds of the rockets and an array of colourful fireworks.
    The rocket war is a tradition that dates back to the early 19th century at the time of the island's Ottoman occupation. Although the precise facts around its origin have been lost through time, the most popular legend that survives is the story of the island's sailors who used to battle pirates with cannons on their ships. When sailors returned to the island they brought back with them these small cannons, and began a custom of firing them at the Easter holiday.
    In 1889, the Ottoman occupiers banned the custom and confiscated the cannons, fearing the cannons would be used in a revolt. It resulted in the locals replacing the cannons with handmade rockets. And the parishioners of the two churches, who always had a friendly rivalry, added the competition that has evolved over the years and continues today.
    The tradition does not come without its dangers, small brush fires can break out in the valley nestled between the two churches, and the island's fire brigade is kept busy smothering the fires ignited by stray rockets.
    Its has also caused injuries in the past, several people have been killed while making the rockets and each year safety measures are heightened by the local authorities.
    Days before the event takes place, residents who have homes around the two churches 'wrap' their homes in hundreds of metres of fine wire mesh sheeting. They even board up windows and doors as the force of the home-made rockets is so strong it can puncture wood and can even damage masonry.
    Some residents whose homes are next to, or directly beneath the churches have turned them into fortresses, and a few complain that they are tired of repairing them every year after Easter, though most want the spectacular tradition to continue.
    It is not only the force of the rockets but the quantity that are fired. The tradition has become so popular that more and more rockets are fired each year; this year it is estimated that more than 50 thousand rockets were made and fired.
    Making the rockets has become a cult on the island. Some 150 people participate in their construction, which takes place year round.
    There is a special art to making the rocket, knowing how to mix the right amount of sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate to create a rocket with a larger explosion and faster speed, and it has become a refined craft.
    Construction is also very dangerous. Makers use bronze tools to minimize the creation of heat due to friction during the hammering of the rocket as this may make it to explode.
    The rocket making teams work in old derelict buildings while making the rockets, and leave the doors open in case they need to make a speedy exit.
    They also use these buildings to stay out of sight of the police. Making the rockets is actually illegal, and some people have been arrested and charged with it.
    These days the police tend to turn a blind eye to the annual tradition, and the local authorities are now trying to make it a legal event.
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