It must be "the Judas Burn". It is totally symbolic and takes place on Easter Sunday, about early afternoon, on the main square of almost every village or small town, around Greece.

Especially in Santorini, it is supposed to be the most important celebration of the day. kids are making really impressive creations filled with flammable stuff (canon crackers) and they hang it somewhere very high or leave it on the cliffs, so when they set the fire, it looks and sounds like a fantastic firework, making extreme echos, that could be heard from near-by islands.

can you tell me more? I have tried describing this to people and they don't understand the meaning the way I have come to over the years.

Fire in Greek Easter celebration is present from old times.

In fact, fires or loads of pyrotechnics producing light, heat and loud sounds can be considered and embedded in general traditions which originate from even earlier times than those of Christianity and Easter celebration. In general fire rituals connect to rituals that originate to times much older than Christianity itself.

In a different approach, fire connects to Medieval practices which related to rituals that used to be done in Western European countries mostly.

So. fire rituals in Greek Orthodox Easter celebration have nothing to do with daemons clearing.

All these expressions ( pyrotechnics, large fires in central village squares, effigies ) all relate to an loud try to drive off death, even by "fearing death to go away" or by symbolically punishing anyone that "betrays Christ".

It may be considered a violent expression, and it perhaps is. Still it is an old tradition, nowadays relating to Easter and being met in other Mediterranean countries too ( like in Italy ).

More in depth info on this is beyond my personal knowledge and perhaps is beyond the limits of this site :)

Hope these were helpful.

Thank you Nick,

Yes it was "deep" then and still remains somewhat of a mystery to me. I have just tried to do a bit of research now since my own rebirth and trying to make more sense out of it....I appreciate your input and insight.

You don't remember me do you? I communicated with you some years ago when I visited Greece.

:)

Judas was one of the 12 apostles, he was the one who kissed and betrayed Christ after the Last Supper.

So, this tradition comes as a symbolic action.

Kids are "burning" Judas as a way of reprisal, after the joyous news for the Resurrection

electric .... your response on this is more the thoughts I had at that time. At first I didn't understand the meaning at all and found it rather frightening, over the years I have found it to be a rather important doctirene teaching the children at a young age how important Jesus death and resurection is.

As for YOU Mr Nick, I beleive we communicated with one another on various TA forums as "Traveler-50"??

now I am a new grandmother of a beautiful little boy

I sincerely wish you the best.

A new life is always a wonder that brings happiness :)