Rocket War
An Easter Saturday. A Ressurection in Chios
When discussing the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection at Vrontados and its inextricably linked tradition of the rocket war, something soon becomes clear: this is not just a memorable night, an essential Christian Orthodox feast, or even a spectacular tradition. When discussing the night of Easter Saturday in Vrontados, we are discussing something more profound than that…
The churches of Panagia Erythiani and Agios Markos stand facing each other peacefully all year long. But for one night only, that of Easter Saturday, they throw themselves into a sort of amicable civil war with thousands of rockets. Akin to luminous falling stars, these rockets hope to fulfil their makers’ wishes: to strike, before falling, the bell tower and the clock of the opposite church.

