President Putin attends Christmas service at monastery in Veliki Novgorod

VELIKI NOVGOROD, January 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending an overnight Orthodox Christmas service at the Spassky (St. Savior) Cathedral of the St. George’s Monastery in Veliki Novgorod. The monastery was founded by Prince Yaroslav the Wise back in 1030.

As a rule Putin leaves Moscow for Christmas, while on Easter he stays in the capital for a night-time service at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Last year Putin went to a Christmas service in a rural Church near Voronezh. Before that he twice attended Christmas services in Sochi and a year earlier he went to a Christmas Service at a cathedral in St. Petersburg where he was baptized.

 

It’s a quiet and blessed Orthodox Christmas.

 

After the service President had a Christmas supper with the local fishermen.

“I am certain that this new year will be better than 2016,” he said. “Without your support, our success wouldn’t have been possible.

A Blessed Christmas to all,

Scott

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