Georgia celebrates Christmas tomorrow

Members of the Georgian Orthodox Church, together with part of the Orthodox world, will celebrate Christmas tomorrow, on January 7, according to the Julian calendar.

Public transport will be free on Christmas Eve in Tbilisi so that people attending the night liturgy and outdoor celebrations can later get home more easily.

The metro system will be free of charge from 12am on January 6 through 4am on January 7, Tbilisi City Hall said. 

Alilo is a traditional Georgian Christmas song usually sung by children while marching and gathering gifts. This is why the Christmas march is also called Alilo. Photo by T. Robakidze

Hundreds of people from different regions of Georgia will join the Christmas march, called 'Alilo', tomorrow morning. This is why some streets in Tbilisi will be closed for public transport from 2 pm, including:

• Rustaveli Avenue;
• Pushkin Square;
• Baratashvili Street.

However, buses and mini-buses will run through alternative routes.

The march traditionally ends at the Holy Trinity Cathedral where the participants join a Christmas service. Photo by T. Robakidze

The traditional ‘Alilo’ march will kick off from the Rose Revolution Square and end at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.