Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas

Many Orthodox Christians throughout the world on Wednesday celebrated Christmas with liturgies and prayers.

The Christmas service in Moscow' Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was led by Russian Patriarch Kirill, and attended by worshipers, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev among them.

President Vladimir Putin, meantime, remained true to his tradition of spending Christmas in small churches outside of Moscow, and was today attending liturgy in Voronezh, some 600 kilometers south of the capital.

During the service, Patriarch Kirill prayed for peace, "especially for peace in Ukraine," said the reports from Moscow.

The AP agency is reporting that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attended liturgy this morning in Bethlehem. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrates Christmas on this day.

Egypt's Copts are also marking the holiday on Wednesday, with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attending liturgy in one church, accompanied by the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Tawadros II.

Christmas is also celebrated on January 7 in Serbia, as well as in Georgia, Montenegro, Bosnia, and Macedonia.