On the night of the Holy Saturday the villagers of Vrontádos are ready to set the night on fire! A rocket war breaks out here, which dates back to the age of the Turkish occupation (15th-19th centuries) and turns this village into a virtual battlefield. The conflict is between the Panagoussians (which would be something like the “Madonnians”), i.e. the parishioners of Panayia in Erithiani (=Madonna in Erithiani), and the Aghiomarkoussians (Saintmarkians), i.e. the parishioners of Saint Mark, and both of theirsrockets aim at the dome and the emblem of the church of theirrivals.
The preparation for this bloodless “war” lasts for months and the improvised rockets, made of coal, sulphur and nitre, are put on wooden stands ready for the “gunners of Chios” to fire them. Teasing and challenging each other alternate with test shots until the sound of a horn signals “fire”, late at night. And although “warriors” take a break to let people attend the liturgy of the Ressurection, they release the storm of fire right after midnight. The spring night sky lights upas tongues of fire and golden orbits of rockets speed to their targets in bangs and thunders. The dark of the night fuses into the red of the cross-fire, and thousands of locals and visitors marvel at this fascinating and unique-in-the-world sky spectacle.
The following day, the beautiful village of Vrontádos finds again its peaceful self. The sticks left from the launched rocketsaround each church will be counted, and the winner will be finally announced. But whoever that is, the villagers bury the hatchet until next year’s Easter Saturday. After all, love and friendship always conquer all!
source: visitgreece.gr
