More than 150 million faithful,
in about 30 thousand churches and 800 Russian Orthodox monasteries in 60
countries around the world celebrate Christmas today.
In
Moscow, Patriarch Kirill celebrated the traditional liturgy of the Vigil
in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the presence of thousands of
faithful and the President of the Russian Federation Dmitri Medvedev.
In
all, about more than 11 thousand faithful attended the liturgy in the
capital. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, as per tradition, participated
in the Christmas Mass in a church in the province.
The Russian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated according to the Julian calendar.
This is 13 days "behind"
the Gregorian calendar, adopted by Catholics, Protestants, some
Orthodox – such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate - and the secular world.
In Russia, January 7 marks the end of abstinence from meat, sweets and
alcohol, which began Nov. 28, and is a national holiday.
It is also a day of high alert after recent warnings of
terrorist attacks against Christians throughout the world, especially
the Copts in Egypt.
7 thousand security agents were mobilized in the
capital alone.
All places of Orthodox worship in the city, 286 churches
and monasteries are patrolled by canine units, as well as the main
underground stations.
Kirill and silence on Copts
There was widespread anticipation for Patriarch Kirill’s homily
in the light of New Year's bloody attack against the Coptic church in
Alexandria.
In his traditional greeting for the Orthodox Christmas,
Kirill did not make any reference to the attack which killed 23 people
Dec. 31.
On 3 January, however, in a letter to the Coptic Pope Shenouda
III, the Patriarch expressed his spiritual support to the community in
the hope that "the terrorists are found and appropriately punished."
But
in his Christmas homily there was no reference for the Coptic
brothers.
The Patriarch instead focused attention on the need to pray
for values such as the "homeland", "national unity" and "the Christian
soul."
He stressed that people "now more than ever need
the help of God, His love and His mercy."
"We believe and know that in
answer to our prayers, our sincere faith, God enters into man’s life,
holds him by the hand, strengthens the mind, body and soul."
Politics and faith
The values to which the Patriarch referred are dear to the
Kremlin.
Christmas, especially in the last decade of Putin, an occasion
for political and Church leaders to come together.
The feast gives the
opportunity to reaffirm an ever-closer collaboration that unites them in
the name of a strong and united Russia.
Medvedev was present with his wife Svetlana in the cathedral in Moscow, where he exchanged greetings and gifts with Kirill.
A few hours earlier he had sent greetings to all Russian citizens via Twitter.
"Christmas
brings us to the timeless values of love and goodness - the president
said - these were used for centuries to strengthen the moral values and
unity of the Russian people."
"These values even today are the
foundations upon which our society can build a peaceful and constructive
development of Russia."
Prime Minister Putin, meanwhile attended the Christmas liturgy in
the Church of the Veil of the Mother of God, patron of Turginovo in the
village, north of Moscow in the Tver region, where his parents
originally come from.
SIC: AN/INT'L