As most Christians in the West begin taking down their trees and putting the decorations back in their box for another year, Orthodox Christians are just getting the Christmas celebrations started. Following the Julian calendar, they mark the birth of Jesus today, January 7. Here's a look at some of the ways people are observing the occasion around the world.
Armenians attend church in Dohuk province, northern Iraq:
Rather solemn proceedings at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, attended by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch Kirill:
Serbian Patriach Irinej also got in on the action in Belgrade:
Servicemen of the Belarussian Interior Ministry's special force recieved a blessing at a military base in Minsk, Belarus:
No Turkey here. Serbian Christians today queued up to recieve a piece of traditional Christmas bread (and don't look too happy about it...)
But things look a little jollier in Kiev. Ukranian Christians dressed up in traditional costumes to sing Christmas carols:
(It remains unclear why the killer from Scream turned up though. Mary looks slightly perturbed).
