Christmas Readings are a major educational forum, an important event not only in the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also of Russia as a whole. They are rightfully regarded as the most representative event organised by the Russian Church. The Readings are held with the blessing of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and are presided by him. 

Christmas Readings have been held since 1993. Over this period, they have been organised 8 times. The 8th Christmas Readings took place in Moscow, on January 23-29, 2000, in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. 

On 21-26 January, 2001, the 9th Christmas Readings on General Education will take place in Moscow. Their subject will be The C hurch and the State: the Role of Religious Education in the Spiritual Rebirth of Russia. The objective is to analyse the special contribution of Orthodox Christianity into the development of education in Russia. The Readings will be organised the Department for Religious Education and Catechism in co-operation with other Synodal Departments of  the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate): Department for External Church Relations, Department for Church Charity and Social Service, Department for Cooperation with the Army and Law Enforcement Bodies, Publishing Council, Mission Department, Educational Commitee, Spiritual Academy and Seminary, Russian Orthodox University of St. John the Divine,  St. Tikhon Orthodox Theological Institute, and with the Ministry of General and Professional Education of the Russian Federation, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow Commitee of Education and other state and public organisations.

The Honorary Chairman of the Readings is Alexy II, the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. 

The Readings will include conferences and sections that will discuss problems of education, science, culture, Orthodox Christian education, Church-State relations, medical, environmental, theological issues, etc.