Osterfeuerwerk mit Dynamit: Sieben Verletzte auf Santorin

epa02103824 Young men from the Panagia Erithiani church congregation launch homemade rockets during a traditional Easter celebration in the village of Vrontados, on the Greek island of Chios, 03 April 2010. As a variation of the Greek habit of throwing fireworks during the celebration of the Orthodox Christian service at midnight before Easter Sunday, two rival church congregations in the town, the congregations of the Agios Markos and Panagia Erithiani churches, perform a 'Rocket War' by firing thousands of homemade rockets across the town, with the objective of hitting the bell tower of the church of the other side. It is difficult to know how and when this tradition started in Vrontados. Today there are many different versions of the story. The first version tells a story that the custom goes back to the 19th century, when the Ottoman occupiers confiscated the cannons on the island over fear they would be used in an uprising. So the locals resorted to fire rockets instead. This became the traditional annual Rocket War. The second story also states that the tradition was born during the Ottoman occupation. People from the island were prohibited to celebrate Easter the way they were used to. The people from the churches of San Maria and San Marco decided to have a fake war with rockets to keep the Ottomans away. And indeed, the Ottomans were frightened by the sudden violence. They kept a safe distance while the rockets were fired. In the meantime, the communities could celebrate Jesusí resurrection in their churches. EPA/VASSIL DONEV .