The Lakatamia Municipality has made the rare move of banning Easter bonfires (Lambradjia) this year citing health and safety concerns.
Referring to municipal regulatory laws introduced in 1985, the municipality stated that it would be prohibiting the collection of wood in public or private land in the municipality for building a bonfire and lighting it over Easter.
Youth across the island are preparing for the traditional ceremony of Lambradjia by collecting wood. The bonfires are lit after Orthodox Easter Saturday midnight (April 15) mass and are used to burn effigies of Judas Iscariot.
“The situation as it is today is inconsistent with our traditions,” read the announcement noting that the move was not to ban the tradition but to protect the public and their properties.
“Apart from a disturbance, the phenomenon creates severe safety and health issues,” adds the announcement.
A meeting was held among the relevant authorities and it was decided that police with the help of council crews would patrol the municipality and to confiscate any wood collected for creating the bonfires
Members of the public are warned that “According to the relevant legislation, anybody attempting to stop the police and council crews in carrying out their duties will be faced with a fine or a prison sentence.”