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displayfireworks1
10-05-2011, 09:06 AM
In in the Malta forum I mentioned some fireworks fantasy vacations spots. Here is one from the Greek island of Chios. I will copy and past the paragraph from Wikipedia. It would be great if we could find someone from Greece to join the forum that is part of the celebration.

Rouketopolemos (Greek Рουκετοπόλεμος, literally Rocket-War) is the name of a local traditional event held annually at Easter in the town of Vrontados (Βροντάδος) on the Greek island of Chios. As a variation of the Greek habit of throwing fireworks during the celebration of the service at midnight before Easter Sunday, two rival church congregations in the town perform a "Rocket War" by firing tens of thousands of home-made rockets across town, with the objective of hitting the bell tower of the church of the other side. The rockets are wooden sticks loaded with an explosive mixture containing gunpowder and launched from grooved platforms.

The two rival parishes are St. Mark's and Panaghia Ereithiani, the respective churches built on two hilltops about 400 meters away from each other. Direct hits on each belfry are supposedly counted on the next day to determine the winner, but each parish invariably claims victory over the other. The result of this apparent disagreement is that both parishes agree to settle the score next year, and the rivalry is thus perpetuated. The church buildings themselves and the nearby buildings have to be extensively boarded up and protected with metal sheets and mesh for the occasion. Several Vrontadites regularly express their dismay at the explosive nature of the custom, but it is a source of significant tourist revenue for the area.

The origin of this event is unclear, but local tradition holds that it goes back to the Ottoman era. According to local lore it was earlier performed with real cannons, until Ottoman authorities prohibited their use in 1889.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PijfPZx88I


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwYrPhLBvz8&feature=relmfu


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUj38PjvVSE&feature=related


Στη Μάλτα στο φόρουμ που ανέφερα μερικά πυροτεχνήματα φαντασία διακοπές σημεία. Εδώ είναι ένα από το ελληνικό νησί της Χίου. Θα αντιγράψετε και μετά από το σημείο από το Wikipedia. Θα ήταν υπέροχο αν μπορούσαμε να βρούμε κάποια από την Ελλάδα να συμμετάσχουν στο φόρουμ που είναι μέρος του εορτασμού.

Rouketopolemos (Ελληνική Рουκετοπόλεμος, κυριολεκτικά Rocket-πόλεμος) είναι το όνομα ενός τοπικού παραδοσιακού εκδήλωση πραγματοποιείται κάθε χρόνο το Πάσχα μέσα στην πόλη του Βροντάδου (Βροντάδος), στο ελληνικό νησί της Χίου. Ως παραλλαγή της ελληνικής συνήθεια της ρίψης πυροτεχνημάτων κατά τη διάρκεια του εορτασμού της υπηρεσίας πριν από τα μεσάνυχτα της Κυριακής του Πάσχα, δύο αντίπαλες κοινότητες εκκλησία στην πόλη εκτελέσει μια «Ρουκετοπόλεμος» με την πυρκαγιά δεκάδες χιλιάδες σπιτικά ρουκέτες σε όλη την πόλη, με την στόχος του να χτυπήσει το καμπαναριό της εκκλησίας της άλλης πλευράς. Οι πύραυλοι είναι ξύλινα ραβδιά φορτωμένο με ένα εκρηκτικό μείγμα που περιέχει μπαρούτι και ξεκίνησε από αυλάκια πλατφόρμες.

Οι δύο αντίπαλες κοινότητες είναι του Αγίου Μάρκου και της Παναγίας Ereithiani, οι αντίστοιχες εκκλησίες χτισμένη πάνω σε δύο λόφους περίπου 400 μέτρα μακριά από τον άλλον. Οι άμεσες επιτυχίες σε κάθε καμπαναριό που υποτίθεται ότι υπολογίζονται για την επόμενη μέρα για να καθοριστεί ο νικητής, αλλά κάθε ενορία υποστηρίζει πάντα τη νίκη επί του άλλου. Το αποτέλεσμα αυτής της διαφωνίας είναι προφανές ότι και οι δύο κοινότητες συμφωνούν να διευθετήσουν το σκορ επόμενο χρόνο, και η αντιπαλότητα είναι έτσι διαιωνίζεται. Τα κτίρια εκκλησία τον εαυτό τους και τα γύρω κτίρια, πρέπει να εκτενώς επιβιβάστηκαν και προστατεύονται με λαμαρίνες και των ματιών για την περίσταση. Αρκετές Vrontadites εκφράζουν τακτικά τη λύπη τους στο εκρηκτικό χαρακτήρα του εθίμου, αλλά είναι μια πηγή σημαντικών εσόδων για την τουριστική περιοχή

fireworks1
12-04-2011, 06:26 PM
haha nice one dave i was at this once im from corfu but moved to england i have a house in corfu so when we go out there on holliday we go and watch the firework church battle my dad was a part of this once i think lol :p

displayfireworks1
12-04-2011, 08:44 PM
When you said you used to live in Corfu I see that it is a beautiful island off the coast of Greece. As ethnically diverse, as the United States is I grew up around people of Greek heritage and always remember the greeting when you meet someone, and please forgive me if I spell it wrong.

tee ka-neh-vla

Response is Kala

It was always great to experience Greek foods from their church festivals. I always remember the “Greek Hamburgers” kef-tet-a ? I can still see the elderly greek women rolling the meat in flour and deep frying them


Back to fireworks, that is pretty cool that your father was part of this rocket celebration, last I hear they are trying to control it because of the influx of tourist to view it.

fireworks1
12-10-2011, 05:09 PM
:rolleyes:hi yer the greek island of corfu is pretty ausome lol if you fancy it go on to you tube and type in corfu or kerkyra easter fireworks this is there biggest firework celebration lol they fire the cannons on the castle and they have loads and loads of cat 4 stuff massive display check it out if u fancy it and the firework battle of churches they say it ever year thet it needs to be controled but it always turns out the same haha only thing is that there are so many fires when the battle comences we are hoping to go back to corfu next year now im old enough my dad sais he may take me to have a go if so ill send you a vid lol :)

displayfireworks1
12-10-2011, 05:39 PM
I am not sure if this is fireworks related or not, you will have to watch the video. This video is from Corfu for Easter. Please explain what is going on here in the street. In the second video I did find a fireworks display for Easter in corfu. In United States it would unusual to have a Easter Fireworks display. However, if it were up to me USA would certainly have Easter Fireworks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-I5CUGL_vE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb7yOrw7P4o

fireworks1
12-10-2011, 07:17 PM
basicly the first video is just about making noise lol i think that they also do it because of jesus dieing on the cross for us they all throw red bottles of wine and water to spray everyone with it to show that everyone has a part of jesus on them. this is what my dad sais i dunno for sure tho lol the 2011 easter wasnt as big as the 2010 haha also on easter in the day you see alot of the peole how hunt out there eg us will fire there shotguns in the air all night and alot of the younger ones like 14 15 year olds have the bird bangers in the streets lol easter is a very good time for fireworks out there there are 4 firework shops in corfu but most are fairly expencive probably due to the euro constantly unded crissis lol

copper acetoarsenite
10-02-2012, 12:07 AM
Very interesting! funny enough I can read Greek [too much science] I just don't know what the hell I'm saying...lol..
I'd like to see fireworks for Christmas and Easter in fact most holidays need them!!! perhaps with the exception of Memorial day...but even then I think tasteful and solemn displays..perhaps shooting of salute barrages would be an appropriate way to commemorate our lost soldiers...so not a 'celebration' so much as a commemoration...or as a celebration of the freedom that those who died allowed us to have, using fireworks to say thankyou...I'd hate to see it turn superficial though...

Spiros
09-02-2013, 07:44 PM
Yes, in Chios were there is the rocket war takes place, all rockets are made traditionaly by the locals. These are no rockets that you buy in the market. This Island is in the east of Greece and there is no professional firework show (with shells) during the easter.

On the other side of Greece in Corfu (far west) we do a large scale aerial show from the castle. We use size until 12". Easter is the most common day for fireworks in Greece called (πυροτεχνηματα (http://www.nanosfireworks.gr)).

Now there are only two firework shops in Corfu Island. They are expensive because transport of fireworks to Greece is expensive and also transport to the Islands is expensive because they need a special ship to go. So expect 50% higher price that regular.

If you have any other questions from Greece please let me know.

Spiros

PyroManiacs
09-03-2013, 10:46 AM
OOOHhhh, I remember posting stuff about this a while ago, I would love to go there to witness these rockets in person!!