Orthodox Christmas
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Jan 7, 2011 19:02 Moscow Time
President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife, Svetlana, during a Christmas service at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Foreground left: Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Photo: RIA Novosti
On Friday the Russian, Serbian, Jerusalem and Georgian Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar.
One of the centres of the festivities is Bethlehem where Jesus Christ was born.
Thousands of people attended the service in the Church of the Nativity.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducted the Christmas liturgy in the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife attended the service.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is in the Tver region to the north-west of Moscow for Christmas.
Outdoor Christmas festivities in Russia began in the evening to last for a week.
Children and grown-ups will be making snowmen, playing snowballs, dancing around Christmas trees and competing in skiing and skating