Bizarre Greek Easter tradition

amsterdam - It's what search kneuterig less than decorate Easter eggs and branches. In Greece keep two rival churches traditionally a battle where fireworks by shooting each other home-made firework rockets.

The 150-year old tradition, known as Rouketopolemos (rocket war), aims to hit the bell of the opponent.

Every year, it's touching Easter Sunday on the small island of Chios. Then tens of thousands of homemade missiles fly around the ears. The churches of the Orthodox churches Agios Markos (St. Mark) and Panagia Erithiani (Virgin Mary Erithiani) are opposite each other, each on their own hilltop in the town of Vrontados.

Rouketopolemos is a variation on the Greek tradition of throwing fireworks during the celebration of Easter. Who the clock is most often wins. But because it is practically impossible to control both sides of the battlefield is, they've got a solution for that. It is a priori draw, so the next year again be a contest to revenge.

The tradition dates back to the 19th century, when Chios was still under Ottoman rule. In those days it was not permitted for the Orthodox Christian community to celebrate Easter. Therefore parishes began this phoney war with toy arrows to mislead the Turkish authorities. Originally real guns were used, until it was banned in 1889.