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Orthodox Christmas Celebrated on All Continents of the Earth
January 7, Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth of Christ today, the second greatest Church holiday after Easter. At the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, 5000 people gathered for the Christmas service.
The Jerusalem, Serbian and Georgian Orthodox Churches also celebrate Christmas today and Christmas is being observed today on all continents, including Antarctica and in the southeast Asian countries still suffering from the recent tsunami, reports Radio Mayak.
Russian Presdient Vladimir Putin visited a church in Tver Region on Christmas Eve and issued holiday wishes to Orthodox Christians.
The importance of the holiday cannot be overestimated. American doctors have observed that fewer people die on Christmas and New Years than on other days, AP reports. However, the British newspaper The Independent reports that there are 4.2 percent more murders on Christmas in that country than usual. It also reported that £30 billion ($57.84 billion) was spent on the holiday in that country. That can be compared to the £4.14 billion ($7.9 billion) that that country provides in foreign aid last year.
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