THIS is the bizarre moment rival churches wage a lethal “rocket war” on each other as they set the heavens alight in the night sky.
The conflicting Greek churches put on a dramatic yet breathtaking spectacle as they launched a dangerous barrage of fireworks at each other.
Tense footage showed the two warring congregations fire dazzling rockets towards each other.
Rocketfire rained down in front of astonished onlookers while the two holy buildings were struck.
But there is more behind this explosive extravaganza than you might think.
The two local parishes actually engage in this fierce fire fight every Easter – and onlookers have previously been killed amid the strikes.
Locals are known to even board up and protect certain areas in order to minimise fire damage.
The annual tradition takes place on the Greek island of Chios, in a sleepy coastal neighbourhood called Vrontados.
So those who happen to visit the quiet town on Easter weekend need to stay cautious and bring tinted shades.
The eye-catching exhibition is known as Rouketopolemos – which literally translates to “rocket war”.
The two churches involved are St. Mark’s and Panaghia Eirithiani, who stand just 400 meters apart.
The tradition’s origins have not been accurately traced – but legend says it originated from the 1800s in the Ottoman era.
Under Turkish rule, celebrating Easter – a Christian holiday – was deemed too risky.
So to scare off possible invaders, the two parishes from hilltop churches agreed to devise a genius plan.
This creative scheme involved the two congregations staging a brutal war.
To make it believable, they agreed to fire deadly cannons at each other.
This worked out well, until 1889 when the Turks confiscated their cannons.
To overcome this, the dedicated islanders started making rockets for the same fake war.
And this tradition has continued all the way up to today.
But the objectives of the “war” have evolved over time. Now, the two churches engage in a playful competition where they attempt to ring the opposing church’s bell as frequently as they can.
Every year the match ends with good-sportsmanship concluding a draw, setting up a much anticipated game for the next year.
Residents usually prepare months in advance, building up thousands of rockets from sticks and gunpowder.
Although technically illegal, cops usually turn a blind eye to the sensational display.
On Easter day, trucks deliver rockets to the two warring factions and buildings are boarded up before the two sides light up the night sky.
A horn blasts a sound at 10pm signalling the beginning of the battle.
Despite its Easter-themed atmosphere – locals have reportedly been injured and killed amid the rocketfire.
These are caused by burns or stray rockets, even though there are usually local fire and ambulance services on standby.
In 2015, two men were electrocuted while throwing fireworks and one was maimed while holding an electric cable during the festive “rocket war”.
But for visitors who want to get a nice view of the breathtaking fight from a safe distance, Mount Aepos is recommended as a viewing point.
