Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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January 7, 2008

Orthodox Christians Celebrate Christmas
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1AD3F1A:A6F02AD83191E160DF2A14DB5F539138A13B8D4F2090AB2B& For many, the
holiday season often starts with a midnight Mass





Orthodox Christian pilgrims pray in the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem, 06 Jan 2008

Orthodox Christians across the globe who retain the Julian calendar
are celebrating Christmas Monday.  For many, the holiday season often
starts with a midnight Mass.

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin attended Mass in a church north of
Moscow.

Mikhail Saakashvili, fresh from his victorious and controversial
Georgian presidential bid, attended the same Mass as his political
rival, Levan Gachechiladze.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theofilos the Third welcomed Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas to the midnight Mass at the Church of the
Nativity in Bethlehem.

Russia's Interfax news agency says Christmas this year also will be
celebrated in outer space.  Yuri Malenchenko, the Russian flight
engineer aboard the International Space Station, will mark Orthodox
Christmas today with his two American crew members.  Some information
for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.




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