Julian

As the Saturday following Shrovetide arrives, Bulgarians across the nation come together to celebrate Todorovden, a cherished tradition deeply rooted in both Christian faith and folk customs. This year, the movable holiday falls on March 23, marking a day of reverence for St. Todor, also known as Theodore Tiron the Great Martyr.

After the "salvo" of the Holy (Monastic) Community against the visit of Archbishop of America Elpidophoros to Mt Athos, delivered on the occasion of the baptism of children of a Greek-American same-sex couple, the monastic community is going through days of solemnity due to the Christmas holidays, which are celebrated according to the old Julian calendar.

Germany united to mourn the death of Franz Beckenbauer on Monday, with figures from across the sporting and political landscape bidding farewell to the 'Kaiser'.

Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as both a player and a coach, died on Sunday at the age of 78, with news of his death not announced until Monday evening.

Many Ukrainians will on Monday celebrate Christmas Day on Dec. 25 for the first time, after the government changed the date from the Orthodox Church observance of Jan. 7 in a snub to Russia.

Ukraine passed a law in July moving the celebration to Dec. 25, the day when most of the Christian world marks Christmas.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Ukraine celebrates Christmas, the shelling does not stop

Ukraine celebrates Christmas, the first since the beginning of the war.

The impact of Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for his forces in Ukraine to observe a unilateral, 36-hour cease-fire was in doubt on Jan. 6 after Kyiv officials dismissed the move as a ploy but didn't clarify whether Ukrainian troops would follow suit.

Moscow also didn't say whether it would hit back if Ukraine kept fighting.

Russia will announce a unilateral ceasefire for 36 hours starting tomorrow at 12 noon local time.

This was reported by the "Interfax" agency, citing a Kremlin statement.

The cessation of hostilities on the Russian side will be lifted at midnight on January 7-8.

The midnight Easter liturgy in the Temple of Saint Sava was served by the newly elected Vicar Bishop Stefan of Remesiana.
His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia Porfirije will serve the Holy Hierarch's Liturgy in the church of St. Sava on Easter, May 2, starting at 9 am, Serbian Orthodox Church announced.

April Fools' Day is celebrated on April 1 every year. Countries and cultures across the world have been celebrating April Fools' Day for generations. The exact origins of April Fools' Day is not quite clear but traditions of the fools day are all about playing hoaxes, jokes and pranks and then jumping up and yelling "April Fool"!.

Turkey's Orthodox community celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ on Jan. 6, recognized as Christmas according to the Julian calendar.

Greek Orthodox citizens in Istanbul reenacted the baptism of Christ with a traditional cross-throwing ceremony at the Kuzguncuk dock in Üsküdar district.