Christians across the globe have come together to celebrate Easter.

Easter Sunday falls on the same day in 2017 in both the eastern and western churches.

This is the first time it has happened since 2014, and it will not happen again until 2025, since Orthodox Christianity is based on the Julian calendar, while the religious festivals of western Christianity are based on the Gregorian calendar.

In Russia, Easter is the biggest Christian celebration of the year.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow led worshipers at numerous services including an Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, attended by Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

As part of Russia celebrations a candle-lit procession is held around the church.

In Pakistan, Christians are a minority, compromising only 1.6% of the total population.

In Turkey the majority of Christians are Orthodox.

In Istanbul Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, led hundreds of worshipers at a midnight liturgy to celebrate Easter during the Easter Resurrection Service outside the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George.