Greece Holidays - Event

The beautiful village of Vrondados lights up with a Rouketopolemos, literally a rocket war, during midnight mass, just before Easter Sunday. Rival congregations launch rockets across town aiming to hit the bell tower of their adversary's church.

Shortly before the priest shares the Holy Light, residents of each parish, St Mark's and Virgin Mary Erethianis, meet in their respective church's yard to fire thousands of rockets at their rivals. Earlier in the week both churches are boarded up and wrapped with wire sheeting to protect them from damage. The priests usually try to continue mass while the rockets fly, but the noise makes it impossible to follow.

Locals spend all year making the rockets, figures range from 25,000 to 60,000, and although there's the occasional fire, or damage to a fence or house, the custom goes on. Technically the rockets are illegal but a blind eye is turned for this occasion.

This local tradition has shady origins and is sometimes linked to sailors who battled pirates with cannons and began the custom of firing them at Easter. During the Ottoman era, authorities thought better of it and banned their use in 1889.

The best and probably safest view is from the plateau of Mount Epos, which sits on the west side overlooking the village. When it's all over winners and losers celebrate the joy of Christ's resurrection together.