How long will Ukraine have Christmas on January 7th?

Tensions between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine have risen again in the past few weeks. The Russian church does not recognise the equal position of its Ukrainian counterpart. But the primary bishop of the Orthodox Churches, Patriarch Bartholomew, said last week that he "does not care" about the "ignorant behaviour" from the Russian part of the church.

Unification of the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches is not a subject for discussion. There are "many contradictions", the Russian Metropolitan Hilarion said in the programme "Church and World" on the Russia 24 channel.

Just weeks before Russia goes to the ballot box in parliamentary elections, Russian Christians are making up their minds about whom to vote for. Contrary to what many Westerners would think, the choice is an easy one.