Serbians burn oak branches on Orthodox Christmas eve

Serbia's Orthodox Christian believers, whose church follows the Julian calendar, marked Christmas Eve on Friday by burning dried oak branches at sermons held outside churches and temples.

In the Serbian capital Belgrade, hundreds of worshippers gathered outside the St. Sava Temple - the biggest Orthodox Church in the Balkans - to burn oak branches, as they symbolize the yule log.

The young oak tree symbolizes Christ and his entry into the world, and the centuries-old tradition is led by church dignitaries. As the yule log fire was lit, dozens of people of all ages moved in closer and threw small branches of dried oak into the large bonfire. Orthodox believers will celebrate Christmas on Saturday, with morning sermons in churches.