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Sept 1 (Reuters) – Males with painted faces and masks pelted one another with rags drenched in gasoline and rolled into tight flaming balls, because the city of Nejapa in El Salvador celebrated its annual fireball competition.
The competition commemorates a volcanic eruption in 1658 that compelled residents to desert the small city, which is positioned about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of San Salvador.
Males take part in “Bolas de Fuego” (Balls of Hearth) competition to recollect the combat of Saint Geronimo towards the satan with balls of fireplace, in Nejapa, El Salvador August 31, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas
The custom could have its roots in an area legend that the city’s patron saint San Jeronimo was praying when the satan threw fireballs to distract him, mentioned Jorge Escamilla, the mayor of Nejapa.
Late on Wednesday, opposing teams launched palm-sized fireballs at one another that lit up the night time sky, whereas onlookers thronged the streets to cheer them on.
“It excites me, and it’s a ardour for me,” mentioned one of many individuals, Elmer Portal. “That is tradition, and that is love for Nejapa. Yearly we will probably be right here.”
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Reporting by Wilfredo Pineda, Rodolfo Pena Roja and Liamar Ramos, writing by Deepa Babington, Enhancing by Rosalba O’Brien
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