Easter in Samos

It is worth visiting Samos during the Easter holidays and admire the spectacular custom of the rifles. The custom is revived on Sunday of Easter in Marathokampos, every year for the last 100 years, and its roots are in the Greek Revolution of 1821. The inhabitants, in order to be ready for the custom’s conduction, they begin to prepare it months earlier.

They gather materials and under the guidance of the ones who are more experienced, construct many launchers, which are placed in a safe place on the ground. At Sunday’s noon, all parishes meet at a specific location and give the cue to start the shots. It is a spectacular thing to watch, filled with ‘smoke’ and constant ‘explodes’.