most belong to the orthodox church. we found a mix of the growing bond of church and state. >> i belong to the church. we need to look at the islamic countries in the middle east to see the danagers of such a strong relationship between religion and state. >> a human advocate -- they are on a mission to expand powers and influence. >> the new head of the russian orthodox church is going to depart from the old image as a museum religion old and out of date. ♪ ♪ orthodox's church biggest rivals are the churches that are having the biggest growth. >> in the as christianity in russia on the rise, one church in russia reaching thousands. the good new church is the fastest growing congregations in the country. >> in a land where the russian orthodox church dominants, one evangelical charismatic church is creating spiritual waves. >> protestant movement growing very strongly. >> americans are at the forefront of the movement. 1991 is this couple moved their family to the former soviet union with a goal of reaching russians with

followers of the orthodox church around the world a celebrating christmas right now including of course here in russia will for more on how the event is being marked we can cross to speak to all of our. crisis in. a special service taking place there right now tell us a bit more about it. along with christmas in the church is one of the biggest celebrations of the calendar year now this year being no different we're seeing a large service being being celebrated just behind me in christ because the main cathedral for russia has been presided over by the patriarch of moscow and all russia kirill. around five thousand people have inside the church right now for that service some also trying to get advantage point wherever they can around. the actual church just to try and hear the bells that have been ringing they're not really right now but as part of this service they they do ring and off a lot of bells and hear them chinee out and we've of course this is a service that does go on for a long time. around three hours. of course in an orthodox church but one of the questions a lot of peopl

perfectly reflecting in the true architectural style of seventeenth century moscow today the church is popular with orthodox worship as from all over tuscany. the church of florence houses many historic relics of the russian orthodox church including works by both russian and it's how you artists it's on the market you can't miss in florence and it's a place that brings the local russian community closer together and welcome addition to professional life in tuscany. although you know most of the congregation of our church consists of people of many nationalities including russians ukrainians georgians greeks italians serbs and bulgarians this church is the first big orthodox cathedral that was built initially then more cathedrals and son removed and very appeared and only five years ago a big church in rome was built that. tchaikovsky the demi to her family to c.s.t. a real russians with a strong connection to italy. twenty minutes outside the city will match with beautiful scenery vibrant colors. but what has this part got to do with russian culture. to answer that question let's meet this week's guest. gr

including russians ukrainians in georgians greeks italians serbs and bulgarians this church is the first big orthodox cathedral that was built initially then more cathedrals and sundry moved on to very period and only five years ago a big church in rome was bill that. tchaikovsky the demi the family to c.s.t. a real russians with a strong connection to italy. twenty minutes outside the city well met with beautiful scenery vibrant colors. but what has this pod got to do with russian culture. to answer that question let's meet this week's guest. great to meet you thank you very much for your time nice to meet you while we here in this beautiful and i guess of bad given the question this place is called upon to lead. the sheen and there are many beautiful airless here one of them in fact where we're standing right now is named after dusty of ski he spent a year in the city and it was said to be one of the happiest times of his life. came to florence with his young wife and they found out here that they were going to have a baby and the couple stayed in the city while she was pregnant. also finished the

plus orthodox christians are celebrating christmas with churches and cathedrals across russia and aroundthe world holding nighttime vigils here in the capital the patriarch of moscow has held a liturgy. central to be orthodox christian year this celebration from thirteen days after western christmas in accordance with the julian calendar. on our spotlight show up next talks to actor director and photographer vincent press about his multifaceted career and if it's difficult to succeed in so many disciplines that's coming up next so don't go.

and orthodox christians all around the world are celebrating christmas more than thirty thousand churches and cathedrals across russia are holding religious services central to the orthodox christian year. comes thirteen days after western christmas in accordance with the julian calendar worshippers in moscow gather that christ the savior cathedral on the banks of the river from nighttime vigil he's all over. gracing christmas in here in russia that was ushered in with a traditional here at the christ. in the center of the russian capital that service presided over by the patriarch of. the heads of the russian orthodox church and attended by the great new good the dignitaries old russian society president jimmy t. made to get it in there as well as see me a pig is attending this church service around five thousand people in total crammed into christ to say we can see more of them in fact actually taking places around the outskirts of the cathedral to just try and get a view of the church something what was going on inside it of course to hear the bells that had been a ringing out to celeb

together with several other orthodox churches such as the church of georgia church of serbia the greek orthodox patrik age of jerusalem mournin stories of loan to office and never change the calendar which in the western church in to sixteen st sheree was adept to become the what is known as a greek orian. and today there was a two week difference that's why the twenty fifth of december julian calendar falls on two january seventh the gregorian calendar which is called when you use civil calendar and there's also a forty day fast that occur. to us precedes the. the holiday of the native it t. it's not as strict as the lent but it's still of a rather lengthy. for the forty days. are there any kind of special foods that break that fast i hear there's you have to have a white candle on the table for instance there are a lot of lots of folk tradition scared of which differ from from place to place so you wouldn't say that necessarily there has to be a white general. edge of people stand the entire ceremony or money take place for many hours yes it's usually the run in an ordinary

beginning of january now this is due to the julian calendar which is followed by the russian orthodox church which differ from the calendar followed by western branches of christianity meaning that christmas day in the russian orthodox church according to the calendar they follow falls on the seventh of january the twenty fifth of december which is why this is happening right now this is one of the biggest nights in the state. two evenings of celebration this vigil mass marking the birth of jesus christ all the docs followers from all around the world coming together states not just here in moscow but from all over the world to celebrate the birth of jesus. peter one of i will be back with the summary news stories for about ten minutes from now in the meantime we head to italy to see what footprint russian artists and public figures have left on the country's culture through the ages stay with us for that that's next. hello and welcome to the program from architecture to music russians have been fascinated with italian culture for centuries and today they come here in the tens of thousands i

it's all of the russian orthodox church attended by the great new good the dignitaries old russian society president dmitri. as well as see me a pig is attending this church service around five thousand people in total crammed into the christ the savior cathedral more of them actually taking places around the outskirts of the cathedral to just try and get a view of the church hopefully she'll hear something what was going on in. to hear the bells that had been ringing out to celebrate the birth of jesus christ now. question it always comes up is why is christmas being celebrated in january this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some of the branches all the docs christianity. as opposed to the calendar used by western christianity which means in russia as well as other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old calendar something that has become a real tradition here in russia opening in one thousand nine hundred seven the traditional christmas. christ the savior. continues online. christmas celebrations here in russia. you can see t

is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some other branches of all the docs christianity used the julian calendar as opposed to the gregorian calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as out some other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old calendar and something that has become a real tradition here in russia. opening in one nine hundred ninety seven the traditional christmas. christ the savior. for the festive feeling continues online as we bring you more of the orthodox christmas celebrations here russia and r.t. dot com see the full christmas address from the head of a russian church. and stranded in space an amateur astronomer manages to film footage of a russian martian crew that's stuck in the bit which will soon fall back to worth. more now on the foreigners who are successfully pioneering business in russia today's pathfinder is a bob van ronk who used to be a restaurateur in los angeles until the sun in one day to leave it all behind he's n

is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some other branches all the docs christianity. as opposed to the calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old calendar and something that has become a real tradition here in russia opening in one thousand nine hundred seven the traditional christmas. christ the savior. continues online as we bring you more christmas celebrations here in russia. you can see the full of christmas address and. also online the. bombs. to create. more on the far. end there in business in russia today. used to be a restaurateur. until the signing one day behind hollywood's. schools of actors and bands to the country. uhl bitter taste. i basically ended up moving to russia all by accident in one thousand and ninety eight i was asked by a russian friend in los angeles if i could bring a hollywood studio to moscow because mayor luzhkov was interested in building multiplex cinemas and wanted a

is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some of the branches of all the docs christianity used the julian calendar as opposed to the calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as some of the countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old calendar and something that's has become a real tradition here in russia. it's opening in one thousand nine hundred seven the traditional christmas of. christ the savior party's peter oliver reporting from moscow we've been covering the service on our website r.t.e. dot com and had there to see the vigil again with commentary provided by me and the editor in chief of the russia profile magazine on the day is all about. also there you can find the address by the head of the russian church who called on the nation to find peace and love for the whole of mankind also online. heading for its doom an amateur astronomer manages to film the failed russian mars probe just days before its downfall. thanks for being with us at eleven p

is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some other branches of all the doc's christianity would use the julian calendar as opposed to the calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as out some other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old calendar and something that has become a real tradition here in russia it's opening in one nine hundred ninety seven the traditional christmas vigil at christ the savior. while the festive failing continues online as we bring you more on the orthodox christmas celebrations. in the form of christmas. to the. police american officers get special electric weapons and their non-lethal possible side effects include civilian burns including blankets details. but more now on the foreigners who are successfully pioneering business in russia today is that pathfinder is bob van roekel he used to be a restaurateur in los angeles until deciding one day to leave it all behind he's now hollywood's man in russia that has already bro

is why is christmas being celebrated in january now this is due to the fact that the russian orthodox church as well as some other branches all the docs christianity jewish the julian calendar as opposed to the gregorian calendar used by western christianity which means that in russia as well as out some other countries christmas falls on the seventh of january huge day in the old the docs calendar and something that's has become a real tradition here in russia. in one nine hundred ninety seven the traditional christmas. piece all of that while the festive feeling continues online as we bring you the next christmas celebrations here in russia dot com you can see the full christmas press from the head of the russian church. and stranded in space. to film footage of the president stuff you know a bit. more now on the forum as a success we pioneering business in russia today there is a bulb that used to be a restaurateur. listening one day to leave it all behind he's now hollywood's man in russia has already brought schools of bands to the country. i basically ended up moving to russia all by a