Catholic believers on Friday celebrate Christmas – the Birth of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, on the occasion of the holiday, a holy mass was held Thursday evening in Catholic Cathedral “Most Holy Heart of Jesus” in Skopje.
President Stevo Pendarovski and First Lady Elizabeta Gjorgievska, Head of the Commission for Relations with Religious Communities and Religious Groups Darijan Sotirovski and a small number of followers attended the Christmas mass, held in line with COVID-19 health protocols.
Inside the cathedral was a reduced audience of clergy and believers, and a large video screen was set up in front of the church for public to follow the mass, all physically distanced and wearing masks.
Bishop of Skopje and Strumica-Skopje Exarch Kiro Stojanov congratulated Christmas and read the Christmas sermon.
He referred to the sacrifice of the health workers during the pandemic and prayed for a return to normal life.
Christmas according to Gregorian calendar is also celebrated by the Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Georgian Orthodox Churches, while the Macedonian, Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches, the Jerusalem Patriarchate, as well as monasteries at Mount Athos celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar on January 7.
