Photo credit: Ekaterina Tagaeva
Orthodox Russians and residents of other countries celebrate Christmas today, January 7. This event was taken as the beginning of a new era in the history of mankind 2020 years ago, TASS reports.
Christmas church services were held in all churches of the ROC. They began an hour before midnight and continued in the morning on all continents. In total, there are more than thirty-five thousand Orthodox churches and about a thousand monasteries. They are located in seventy different states.
Together with the Russian Church, the Serbian, Jerusalem, Georgian, and Polish Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on the Julian calendar. Today is also a holiday in the monasteries on Mount Athos, some Protestants and Catholics of the Eastern rite. In addition, the service began in Bethlehem, at the place where Jesus Christ was born.
Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was led the night before by Patriarch Kirill.
Russkiy Mir
reported that, in a traditional message to believers, he expressed confidence that a miracle that happened more than two thousand years ago still fills our souls with unspeakable joy.
The head of the ROC called Christmas the most important event in human history. He advised believers to visit their relatives, parents and friends, to thank them for their good deeds.
President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Russians on Christmas. The head of state was present at the service in the St. Petersburg Transfiguration Cathedral.
According to him, the holiday brings joy and spiritual excitement to millions of people. They join the long traditions that are passed from one generation to another. Christmas fills people with love, faith in the triumph of goodness and justice.
Putin noted the enormous contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations to strengthening the spiritual and moral foundations of society, preserving our historical and cultural heritage, and educating young people.
Russkiy Mir
