By the time Christmas rolls around, Russia is slightly subdued, if not entirely partied out. For those who take the holiday seriously, the focus is the Christmas Eve church service.

[1/3]Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Orthodox Christmas liturgy at the Church of St. George the Victorious on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow, Russia January 7, 2025.

Patriarch Kirill, an enthusiastic backer of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, blessed icons and crosses that were to be engraved with the president's initials and sent to servicemen in the 34-month ...