Associated with Orthodox churches are more than 200 million Christians around the world, most of whom celebrate Christmas on January 7 because they follow the Julian calendar, unlike Christian denominations that follow the Gregorian calendar.

While the majority of Orthodox Christians reside in eastern Europe, celebrations and processions have been held all over the world, including the Middle East where Orthodox churches are the most common form of Christianity.

In Cairo, Egypt, Coptic Orthodox worshippers attend a Christmas Eve Mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in the monastery of Anba Simon Kharaz in the Mokattam mountains on January 6, 2023

In Istanbul, Turkey, Greek Orthodox elder Metropolitan Emmanuel chalchedon organized an Epiphany Mass as part of the Epiphany celebrations at the Church of the Fanar Orthodox Patriarchate on January 6, 2023

And in Kiev, believers lit candles in St. Volodymyr's Cathedral. Millions of other Ukrainians flocked to churches all over the country

While Orthodox Christians celebrate the Christmas liturgy with a divine prayer in the Church of the Tikhvin icon of the mother of God in the Russian capital Moscow

Inside the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a mass at the Annunciation Cathedral. He had sought to declare a short ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the occasion, but Kiev rejected him

In Serbia, people attended the annual fire of dried oak branches in the Church of St. Sava in Belgrade. The fire symbolizes what the shepherds built to warm the baby Jesus in his manger

In Ethiopia, where there are more than 36 million Orthodox Christians, priests led believers to celebrate Christmas Eve at St. Mary's Church in Lalibela

As for the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, believers gathered to celebrate one of the most important days of the Orthodox faith

Greek Orthodox Christians now celebrate Christmas on December 25, but Friday was a special day, the day of the Epiphany. These believers raised a wooden cross after recovering it from the waters of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey