Christmas services were held in more than 500 churches in Moscow

Christmas services on the night of January 7 were held in more than 500 churches in Moscow. In addition to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, services were held at the Church of the Ascension of Christ and the Novodevichy Monastery.

The Christmas service usually lasts for several hours and includes Great Compline, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy. Solemn prayers were performed during the service. A special place is occupied by the troparion of the Nativity of Christ: "Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hast raised up the light of reason in the world...".

Divine services were held all over Russia. The inhabitants of the Far East were the first to celebrate Christmas. On Sakhalin, the Orthodox holiday was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. A solemn service was also held in Kamchatka, in the Cathedral of the Holy Life—Giving Trinity.

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On the night of January 7, the Patriarchal Christmas service began in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The live broadcast of the event was conducted by Izvestia. The service is conducted by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated the feast of the Nativity of Christ in one of the military churches of the Moscow region. He was accompanied by Russian servicemen and their families.

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