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Christmas service held at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
07.01.2006, 03.16
MOSCOW, January 7 (Itar-Tass) -- A Christmas service led by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and attended by about 5,000 people has ended at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
The patriarch congratulated all Russians in the country and abroad on Christmas in a televised address from the cathedral’s altar.
“This is our common salvific holiday for God came to Earth for our salvation,” he said.
”The holiday fills our hearts with spiritual joy because God is with us. And if we are with God, God will be with us too, and we will fear no difficulties, ailments or trials,” he said.
Alexy II wished his fellow citizens “peace and construction in the country”, “spiritual evolvement through Christian values”, and that “the new year be not wasted away”.
The patriarch called upon Orthodox Christians to mark Christmas with good deeds and help to the neighbour. “Let us pool our efforts so that the joy of Christmas enters each home, touching upon the heart and soul of every person,” he said in his Christmas message.
When thinking about the events that happened 2006 years ago, “we put ourselves to a test again: what is our answer to God's love?” he added.
“The world around us beckons us, more and more often, to bow to the idols of glory, power, sufficiency and pleasure, but this way leads nowhere. Walking along it, we will have not freedom but servitude, not joy but disappointment. But following Christ, we will acquire the true good,” the Patriarch said.
He reminded that obeying the commandments is above the attachment to earthly blessings and the fear of losing them.
Earlier in the day, President Vladimir Putin congratulated Orthodox Christians and all Russians on Christmas.
The president attended a Christmas service in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Yakutsk, where he was on a working trip.
“I cordially congratulate you on Christmas. This cheerful holiday brings joy and hope to millions of Christians and revives the good tradition of taking care of one’s near and giving support to people in need,” the presidential message said.
“The positive influence of Christmas celebrations on the creative and public activities of Russian citizens is growing from year to year. It is important that the younger generation accepts the traditional moral values,” he stressed.
The president wished Russian citizens happiness, peace, prosperity and success.
Putin also sent Christmas greetings to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II.
“On these festive days full of joy and good hopes, I would like to gratefully confirm your contribution to the promotion of peace, concord and mutual understanding between people, and the development of fruitful dialogue between the Church and the government on topical modern problems,” the greetings said. “Citizens of Russia are grateful for your special care for the reconstruction of historical and cultural traditions, the patriotic upbringing of the younger generation, and the preservation of a sound moral atmosphere in the society.”
The Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow is the centre of Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Russia. About 5,000 people gathered in the Cathedral by 9:00 p.m. Moscow time. Access was free. Officials and public figures are attending the service, including Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, head of the presidential administration Sergei Sobyanin, and Chechen Prime Minister Sergei Abramov, as well as officials from the Moscow city government.
The Vatican’s representative to Russia, Archbishop Antonio Mennini also attended the service.
Upon the end of the service, Alexy II urged Christians “to share the joy of the holiday with other people, especially those who are lonely” and wished all Russians “spiritual joy” from the birth of the Saviour, which should “give strength and courage to go through the trials of life”.
A Christmas icon, a replica of the icon installed in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, is in the centre of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral. The replica was blessed in the Holy Land and brought to Moscow in the year 2000.
Christmas services are underway in all the 26,600 churches of the Russian Orthodox Church around the world. The Jerusalem, Serbian, and Georgian Orthodox Churches are also celebrating Christmas. Christmas services are being delivered on all continents, including the Antarctica.
According to a public opinion poll conducted by the Yuri Levada Centre, 60 percent of Russians plan to celebrate Christmas this year. Most of them are people under the age of 25.
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