Greek believers fire off rockets to celebrate Orthodox Easter while Vladimir Putin meets Patriarch of Russian church

While Easter in the UK is celebrated with chocolate eggs and a roast lamb, in Greece they mark the day slightly different - and a week later.

As Orthodox Easter Sunday was held, thousands of homemade rockets were aimed at church towers in the Aegean island of Chios by rival parishioners in their traditional ‘mock war’.

Dozens of brave souls even attend the late-night services inside the churches of Aghios Markos and Panaghia Erithiani while the annual battle is held – even when the structures and surrounding homes are ringed in defensive veils of chicken wire.

Fortunately, severe injuries are rare in Vrontados during the fiery celebrations.

Although small firework displays are held at churches around the country at midnight services on Easter Saturday - despite official disapproval from Church officials - Vrontados is in a league of its own, drawing spectators from all over Greece and abroad. 

The custom dates back to the 19th century, when the island was under Turkish occupation, but may have older roots.

Preparations last all year, while on the Saturday morning participants parade their hardware through the village in lorries, honking their horns.

Easter Sunday was celebrated in services across Europe, with thousands of people attending church in Greece, Russia, Turkey and the Balkans to mark the most important day of the Christian calendar - Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead.  

Russian president Vladimir Putin attended the Easter Sunday service in Moscow, meeting with the Patriach of Moscow and all Russia Kirill, while Pope Francis held a commemorative service in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican with Armenian clergy to mark 100 years since the Armenian Genocide.

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Young men ignite homemade rockets during the Orthodox Easter celebrations on the island of Chios, Greece, on Saturday night

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In the traditional, annual 'war', the church towers of Aghios Markos and Panaghia Erithiani are pelted with rockets and fireworks

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Incredible images resembling a war scene show the spectacle, which attracts visitors from across Greece and further afield to watch

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Rockets shoot and sparkle through the sky, falling over the courtyard of the Panagia Erithiani church in the village of Vrontados

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Dozens of people still went to mass and prayed at Panagia Erithiani on Saturday evening- despite people shooting rockets at its tower

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Sparks fly after a rocket falls on the marbled courtyard of the church. The traditionally 'battle' is thought to date back to the 19th century

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Ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox world, greets a baby at the Easter Sunday ceremony in Istanbul

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks with Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill during an Orthodox Easter service in Moscow

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH: WHY DO THEY CELEBRATE EASTER SUNDAY A WEEK LATER THAN IN BRITAIN?

The Eastern Orthodox Church is one of the three main Christian groups, with around 200 million believers.

In basic terms, Orthodox Christians believe - like Roman Catholic and Protestant followers - that God revealed himself to Jesus, that he was God incarnate on earth, that he was crucified on the cross and was resurrected.

Within the Orthodox faith there a different churches, with their own geographical title that reflect the cultural traditions of their believers - drawing on Greek, Middle-Eastern, Russian and Slav culture.

Difference between the faiths include their approaches to women priests, whether the mother of Jesus Mary was sinless and the significance of the Eucharist in Mass. 

Unlike Catholics and Protestants, Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter - the celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead - using the Julian calendar, while the others mark it according with the Gregorian calendar.

Sources: BBC Religion, Christianity in View

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A rocket is ignited during the 'battle'. Orthodox Easter Sunday is marked a week later than in the Roman Catholic and Anglican church

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The remnants of hundreds of handmade rockets fall on the courtyard of Agios Marksos church after the spectacular display

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Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill conducts the Easter service in Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow in front of hundreds of people

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In the left picture Russian President Vladimir Putin (R), Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (L) and his wife Svetlana (C) attend the Easter service in Christ the Savior Cathedral, while Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, right, lights candles in the service

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The head of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Francis embraces the head of the Armenia's Orthodox Church Karekin II, during an Armenian-Rite Mass marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide - held in St Peter's Basilica within the Vatican

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Ukrainians bow their heads as they light candles during an Orthodox Easter mass in the Mikhailovsky Cathedral in the capital city of Kiev

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Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is regarded by Christians as their most important religious festival

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Holding candles and an icon of Jesus Christ's resurrection, Orthodox priests walk in a procession in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3035675/Greek-believers-fire-rockets-celebrate-Orthodox-Easter-Vladimir-Putin-meets-Patriarch-Russian-church.html#ixzz3X6mJCGTp
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