Greek Fireworks Battle on Easter

In a bizarre but long-cherished local tradition, two Orthodox churches in the town of Vrodandos fire rockets at each other's churches - while services are held.

The objective is to hit the other church's bell, but many rockets go astray, causing locals to rush frantically for cover.

Several days before the event, residents carefully board up both churches' windows and doors and wrap wire sheeting around the buildings to protect worshippers.

On Easter Sunday evening, as mass is said in both churches, the rival parish "gangs" set to work, lighting fireworks and aiming them haphazardly at each other's church bells.

Amid the melee, priests in both churches attempt to continue with mass, although the deafening sounds of fireworks and cheers as the rockets hit their targets often drown out the proceedings entirely.

Locals are not sure of the tradition's origins, although it is possibly linked to stories of the island's sailors, who used to battle pirates with cannons installed on their ships and began a custom of firing them at Easter.

In the late 19th Century, when Ottoman occupiers confiscated the cannons over fears they would be used in an uprising, locals resorted to firing rockets instead.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• greek
• easter
• fireworks
• firework
• orthodox
• Vrodandos
• church
• mass
• rockets
• bottle
• rocket
• sunday

[VirtualSting]

This is so cool. I think I'd start going to church again just because of this. :D

[Freecell82]

Holy fuck. I'm not religious, but if I'm ever in Greece around easter, I am so so going.

[FPSGREECE]

Correction it seems dangerous to most but it's not considering most small ilsnad villages homes and buildings are constructed out of concrete only there belongings can burn not the homes it's great fire insurance you will never need to worry about losing your home only your stuff and also this is why most of us Greeks are pyro maniacs we often don't have a fear for fire. I think fire is beautiful actually

[eddie100]

Liquorish. 

[patriot1314]

@MSAGANG this is a Christian easter celebration....

[patriot1314]

@jlwalton89 lol are you a fellow Scot by any chance? i love our nation, innately ridiculous? we wear kilts to expose our legs while we dance on swords and our national past time is getting pished. its great!

[chrisispoop]

thats freaking badass. omg

[tripturtle]

stumbled from alberta canada!

[Sascha0498]

@kiminokami

yep

[kiminokami]

@Sascha0498 Because you've been in someone's ass?

[Sascha0498]

@daninetails867

english is also used in yo moms ass

[catscatscatz]

@Cartabaz Hahaha. Internet preachers like you make me laugh. You denounce religions who have absolute ideas, and then you make an uneducated and paranoid absolute statement like that. haha. silly person