Every Easter, in the Greek village of Vrontados, members of rival churches sitting across a small valley stage a "rocket war" by firing thousands of homemade rockets towards each other while services are held. The objective for each side is to strike the bell of the opposing church. The festival, called Rouketopolemos, has been celebrated by the churches of Agios Markos and Panagia Erithiani for at least 125 years, its exact origins a mystery. Gathered here are images of this rocket war from the past few years.
The Easter Rocket War of Vrontados
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Read moreRockets fly over bell tower of Agios Markos church during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on the eastern Aegean island of Chios on April 26, 2008. Two rival parishes of Vrontados village fire thousands of rockets every Easter Saturday aiming at the opposing church's bell tower in a centuries-old tradition. #
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Read moreYannis, left, and Stavros, right, load handmade rockets on a truck, in front of Agios Markos church, on the Aegean island of Chios, on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreRockets are arranged before being fired at the Panagia Erithiani church during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on the Aegean island of Chios, on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreHand-made rockets are prepared before being fired at the Agios Markos church during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations in Vrontados on April 26, 2008. #
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Read moreA participant fires a rocket against the target, the Panagia Erithiani church, from a launching platform in the village of Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
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Read moreA woman walks out of her screen-protected home during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations in Vrontados village, on April 26, 2008. #
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Read morePeople ignite homemade rockets during aimed at a rival church in Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
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Read moreA youth ignites homemade rockets during a traditional Easter celebration in Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreRockets fly through the sky targeting the churches of Agios Markos, left, and Panagia Erithiani, right, during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreHomemade rockets streak through the sky targeting a church of Panagia Erithiani on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreA rocket strikes the bell tower of Agios Markos church on April 26, 2008. #
Reuters/Yiorgos Karahalis -
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Read moreRockets fly over the church of Agios Markos as worshippers hold candles during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, on April 19, 2014 in Vrontados, Greece. #
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Read moreA youth ignites homemade rockets during Easter celebrations in Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreYoung men ignite rockets during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on the island of Chios on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreRockets fly towards the church of Agios Markos during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreHomemade rockets streak through the sky above Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreA man ignites rockets in Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreRockets fly over the bell towel of Panagia Erithiani church on April 19, 2014. #
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Read moreRockets fly over Vrontados village on April 26, 2008, as rival parishes of the village fire thousands of rockets at each other. #
Reuters/Yiorgos Karahalis -
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Read moreA reveler looks on during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations in Vrontados on April 19, 2014. #
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Read moreRevelers ignite rockets during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on April 19, 2014 in Vrontados, Greece. #
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Read moreHomemade rockets streak through the sky targeting the church of Panagia Erithiani, on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreParticipants ignite homemade rockets in the village of Vrontados late on April 19, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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Read moreYoung men launch rockets during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations on the Aegean island of Chios on April 19, 2014. #
AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris -
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Read moreRockets fly over Panagia Erithriani church on April 26, 2008. #
Reuters/Yiorgos Karahalis -
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Read moreA woman walks near scores of burned-out homemade rockets on the ground, and stuck in a protective metal fence at Panagia Erithiani church, following a traditional Easter celebration the night before in Vrontados, on April 20, 2014. #
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images -
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