Traditions

Besides all the regular and numerous religious customs in all the settlements and municipalities of Chios, those that distinguish particularly are:

The Rocket War which is carried out on the evening of Resurrection of Jesus with  tens of thousands of self-made rockets. These rockets were crafted before by the residents of the parishes of Saint Mark and Virgin Mary Erethianis, and are shot in hundreds at the two "rival" churches. The spectacle is fantastic, and despite that it is somewhat dangerous, each year thousands of people observe this great event.

For more information visit: rocketwar.com

The Santa Claus Ships are one of the most beautiful traditions of our island, a valuable heritage from our ancestors hammered out by our Orthodox religiousness and our relation of Chios with the sea. On New Year's Eve, groups of children are escort or hold, depending of size, small mock-ups of warships, going around from house to house singing carols and local wishes to the house inhabitants.

Most of the ship mock-ups are exact replicas of Hellenic war fleet ships. They are made with great care and willing spirit, enriched in appearance and innovation by the imagination of their escorts, who are visiting in turn all neighborhoods with all lights on, the engines driving the propellers, the chimneys smoking and the whistles sounding cheerfully, whilst the small cannons are shooting as soon as they can be reloaded.