Easter 'rocket war' lights up night sky on Chios island

Residents of Vrontados on the Greek island of Chios marked Orthodox Easter with the traditional “rocket war,” firing over what organisers said were 20,000 handmade rockets during midnight mass.

Parishioners from rival churches, Panagia Erithiani Church and Saint Markos Church, launched rockets from opposite hills towards each other’s bell towers as the night sky lit up.

Prepared months in advance, the rockets streaked across the darkness in a contest of accuracy, while spectators gathered to watch the spectacle.

The centuries-old tradition, believed to date back to the 19th century when locals fired cannons during Easter under Ottoman rule, continues to draw thousands of visitors despite safety concerns and the fact that it is illegal.

 Overshadowed by the arrest of seven people injured in a fire at an illegal fireworks workshop preparing for the rocket war — four of whom suffered second-degree burns — this year’s event was more modest, with fewer rockets fired and a shorter duration. 

The incident also reignited debate over whether the custom should be legalised and more tightly regulated.

Production: Konstantinos Anagnostou, Valentini Anagnostopoulou/Reuters