In pictures: Orthodox Easter

The Eastern Orthodox Church is celebrating Easter. At Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre church, believed to be the site of the burial of Jesus Christ, an Easter Saturday's Holy Fire service was held.

In the West Bank city of Bethlehem, worshippers hold candles lit from the Holy Fire, which they consider miraculous and sacred.

Flames lit from the Fire are flown abroad, including to Moscow. Here the flame is presented to Russian Patriarch Alexy II.

Macedonians celebrate with a midnight mass in the capital Skopje.

In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, churchgoers admire traditional Easter cakes and painted eggs.

In the Ukrainian capital Kiev, a priest blesses Easter cakes.

Russia's future and current presidents, flanked by their wives, attend an Easter Sunday service at Moscow's Church of Christ the Saviour.

Bosnian Orthodox believers crowd into a Sarajevo church for an Easter service.

Coptic Christians celebrate Christ's resurrection in a midnight service at the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo. Egypt's Coptic Church has a similar doctrine to Greek and Russian Orthodox churches.

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