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Most Orthodox Christian churches celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Here, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, crosses himself on Christmas Eve in the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
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Pope Tawadros II leads Midnight Mass at Cairo’s main cathedral, January 6, 2013.
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Ethiopian Christian Orthodox women attend Christmas midnight mass at the al-Abasseya Cathedral, in Cairo.
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People attend ceremonial burning of dried oak branches in Sabac, west of Belgrade
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Christmas service in town of Verbovichi, south-east of Minsk. 6 Jan 2013
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Russian Patriarch Kirill led a Christmas service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow.
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Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow
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Fireworks formed part of the celebrations outside the new Orthodox Church of the Nativity in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk.
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A Palestinian Greek Orthodox boy holds a candle as he attends Christmas services at the Saint Porfirios Church in Gaza City, 7 January 2013
Source: BBC WORLD NEWS