President Medvedev attends Christmas service.

MOSCOW, January 7 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has
arrived at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow where an Orthodox
Christmas night service is under way.

The Russian president always attends church services on days of big
religious holidays. Medvedev used to visit the Cathedral of Christ the
Saviour, Russia's main church, for Christmas and the Easter when he was
the first deputy prime minister and the Kremlin administration chief.
President Medvedev was present at the Christmas service at the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour last year.
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill is leading the Christmas
service tonight.
By the start of the ceremony the cathedral was practically full. More
than 3,500 god believers had gathered there, according to Itar-Tass.
Members of the Russian government, deputies of the Russian State Duma,
members of the Federation Council and prominent public figures are
attending the service.

.PM Putin attends Christmas service in Kostroma.

KOSTROMA, Central Russia, January 7 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kostroma, a historic city in
central Russia, to celebrate Christmas.
He will attend a Christmas night service at the Church of Holy Martyrs
Alexander and Antonina of Rome together with its parishioners in the
village of Selishche in the outskirts of Kostroma.
The village that was first mentioned in the 16th century is located on
the right bank of the Volga River. Two wooden churches used to stand there
early in the 17th century. In the 18th century the local landlords
allocated funds for the construction of a stone church that replaced the
two wooden ones. The stone church has survived until today.
The church has a Sunday school for children. In summer, it organizes
an Orthodox children's camp.
In the meantime, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is attending a
night Christmas service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow,
Russia's main church. He always attends church services on days of big
religious holidays.
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill is leading the Christmas
service tonight.
By the start of the ceremony the cathedral was practically full. More
than 3,500 god believers had gathered there, according to Itar-Tass.
Members of the Russian government, deputies of the Russian State Duma,
members of the Federation Council and prominent public figures are
attending the service.

.Patriarch Kirill addresses parishioners ahead of Christmas service.

MOSCOW, January 7 (Itar-Tass) - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Kirill called on Orthodox Christians of Russia to unite their efforts with
God's power both for their individual development and the development of
the country and society in his address before the start of an Orthodox
Christmas night service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Russia's
main church, late on January 6.
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church said that Orthodox Russians
should be grateful to Jesus Christ who is helping their homeland to
overcome difficulties and trials without destroying itself and without
sliding back and to move forward slowly but surely.
"A year has passed. It was not easy for the life of the country, the
life of our Church and our people. But now we can clearly say that by the
grace of God and through our hard work and, of course, with the help of
God to whom we addressed our prayers, our Fatherland is going through
hardships and trials without destroying itself or sliding back and is
moving forward slow but steady," Patriarch Kirill said as he was reviewing
the results of the past year.
He urged Orthodox Christians to pray hard so that this year becomes a
good year for Russia.
"We can hardly avoid difficulties and grievances, such is human life.
But it's vitally important not to let human grievances destroy us. They
should make us even stronger. Man becomes stronger only if he feels God's
power. If this power is combined with personal human efforts of each
individual, then we have an absolutely clear, comprehensible, convincing
and positive development of an individual, the country and society,"
Patriarch Kirill went on to say.
"Let me once again to present my warmest greetings to all of you on
the occasion of the Nativity of Christ and let the blessing of the Saviour
who was born in Bethlehem make us stronger in our lives," the head of the
Russian Orthodox Church said in conclusion.

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