
As Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas
• As Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas
Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays. January 7th, millions of Orthodox Christians throughout the world celebrate Christmas.

Christmas Eve in Cairo. Egypt - mostly Muslim country, but thousands of local Christians flocked to the church on the night before Christmas.

The Coptic Patriarch Theodore II, chapter most numerous Christian churches in the Arab world. St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt.

Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. However, the meeting of Christmas for Orthodox Christians is happening on the "old style" - on 7 January.
Why Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7 and Catholics December 25?
In 1582, the Western Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar. New calendar ( "new style") began to use Western Europeans, while the Julian calendar continued to operate in Russia. In 1918, the Gregorian calendar was introduced in Russia, but the Orthodox Church does not recognize this, and continued to use the Julian calendar ( "old style").
These days, the Julian calendar is behind the Gregorian by 13 days. Therefore, Catholics and other churches who live in the Gregorian calendar, celebrate Christmas on the night of December 24 to 25, and the Orthodox Church - on the night of 6 January 7, which corresponds to the 24-25 December according to the Julian calendar. The difference between the two styles is increased by 1 day every 100 years. Christmas in Ukraine. Cooking festive Christmas dinner for the protesters on Independence Square in Kiev.

Kosovo. The main attribute of the Serbian Christmas - oak branches. On Christmas Eve, they burn. This - a symbol of warmth, which God gives to people that they have warmed their souls.

The burning of oak branches on Christmas Eve in Belgrade.

Herman, Metropolitan of Volgograd and Kamyshin arrived in the Kazan Cathedral in Volgograd, Russia.

Christmas in Volgograd.

Christmas in Bethlehem. The members of the Orthodox clergy expected the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III. Bethlehem - a holy city for Christians, the second in importance after Jerusalem.

Each country has its own Christmas traditions. Annual jumps on Christmas Eve, held in the Romanian villages.

Christmas in Romania.

Their goal - to find the first wooden cross thrown by a priest into the water. Sofia, Bulgaria.

First! Kalofer, Bulgaria.

Christmas in Bulgaria.

Christmas swim in Istanbul.

Orthodox Christmas in Italy. Vatican.

Vatican.

Christmas in Kazan.

November 7, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his wife arrived at the Temple of Christ the Savior on the Patriarchal Christmas service.

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill conducts Christmas service in the church of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
