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Orthodox set to celebrate Christmas

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  • Orthodox set to celebrate Christmas

    Associated Press
    Jan 6 2005

    Orthodox set to celebrate Christmas

    MIKE ECKEL


    MOSCOW - The head of Russia's Orthodox Church offered blessings and
    prayers on the eve of the Orthodox Christmas Thursday, noting in his
    traditional holiday greetings that 2004 was a difficult year for
    Russia

    Patriarch Alexy II also addressed Christians worldwide and people of
    other faiths, saying "Let us work together for the sake of peace and
    the prosperity of our peoples."

    Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Russia and other
    Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the
    16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants
    and commonly used in secular life around the world.

    The top U.N. official in Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, called upon
    Serbs, who are largely Orthodox Christian, to use this period to
    "make special efforts to reach out to all, regardless of their views
    and backgrounds."

    Kosovo was placed under U.N. administration in 1999, following NATO's
    air war aimed at stopping the Serb forces crackdown on
    independence-seeking ethnic Albanians.

    In the former Soviet republic of Armenia, worshippers lit candles and
    attended services to mark the holiday and President Robert Kocharian
    and other top government officials attended services at the
    Echmiadzin Cathedral outside the capital, Yerevan.

    Pope John Paul II also offered his "cordial wish of peace and joy in
    the Lord" to "the brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches which
    are celebrating in these days Holy Christmas." Jan. 7 is celebrated
    in the Catholic church as Epiphany.

    The Russian patriarch referred in his greetings to the string of
    terrorist attacks that struck Russia including the August crash of
    two airliners, and the September hostage-taking at the school in
    Beslan where some 340 people died, nearly half of them children.

    "Flouting everything that is holy in their impious madness,
    terrorists raised their hands against children. The deaths of
    innocent victims has become our common grief and filled our hearts
    with pain and sorrow," he said.

    "But at the same time, the horrible tragedy has shown that moral
    ideals are alive in the people: facing death, many people manifested
    high examples of sacrificial love for their neighbors, laying down
    their lives for their friends, as the Holy Scripture says," the
    patriarch said.

    The patriarch also met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the
    Kremlin. Putin spoke at length about the humanitarian aid and the
    rescue efforts Russia has provided to Asian countries devastated by
    the Dec. 26 tsunami.

    "I want to again wish you a Merry Christmas, happiness and health to
    you and all the Orthodox Christians, to all the people who will be
    observing this holy holiday," Putin told the patriarch.
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