Orthodox Christians are celebrating the birth of Christ today. The liturgies are held overnight in Orthodox Churches. The solemn liturgy is being held in the Holy Trinity Cathedral by the Patriarch Ilia II. The official authorities attended the liturgy. According to the Holy Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ was born in a cave in Bethlehem, ,a place where animals were kept.That night, some shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks of sheep. An angel appeared to them and gave them the good news that a Savior, the Messiah, had been born. The angel told the shepherds they could find Jesus lying in a manger. Suddenly a whole group of angels appeared saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" The shepherds hurried into Bethlehem and found Jesus in the manger, just as the angel had told them. After they had seen Jesus, they spread the news, and everyone who heard was in awe. Some time later, wise men, or magi, from eastern countries saw a star in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king. They came to Judea, the region around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to worship Jesus, the new king.