PHOTO GALLERY // Carols on Christmas Eve. Festive atmosphere in villages of Moldova

Orthodox Christians are celebrating Christmas Eve according to the old calendar today, a time when families come together to uphold ancestral traditions and welcome the Nativity of the Lord.

In most households, especially in villages, the festive atmosphere is special, filled with spirituality, carols and customs. Christmas Eve is also the last day for believers to confess in churches, so they can receive communion on the day of the celebration.

During the night, in many areas of the country, children go out with 'Moș Ajunul,' singing carols and shouting 'Good morning to Moș Ajun.' The carolers symbolize the angels and the shepherds who were the first to announce the Birth of Jesus in the manger of Bethlehem.