SFD and NCFD residents celebrate Christmas at elevated security measures

Today, the believers of the Russian, Georgian, Jerusalem and Serbian Orthodox Churches have celebrated their Christmas.

At night on January 7, hundreds of thousands of them took part in divine services held in Southern Russia. Services were held in temples, churches and monasteries in the region. The holidays were accompanied by charity events and cultural festivals. The events were held in Southern Russia under strengthened security measures. The public order was maintained by thousands of policemen, soldiers, activists of voluntary people's militia units, private security companies and Cossacks.

In Northern Caucasus, the Christmas services and other celebrations were also held at elevated security measures. In order to prevent offenses and crimes, policemen were working under high alert, said the website of the Stavropol Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

Ramazan Abdulatipov, the head of Dagestan, stated in his holiday greeting that "the creative power of Christmas embodies the triumph of the ideas of mercy, kindness, peace and justice, having a positive effect on the purity of thoughts of the people who seek to live in peace and harmony." He noted that the true values of Christianity will continue promoting civil unity and accord in Dagestan and Russia, the RIA "Dagestan" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.