As the number of Christians dwindles in that beleaguered country, reports suggest that the celebrations of Christ’s birth are diminishing, too:
Christians in Iraq are preparing for a muted holiday season, with one bishop in the southern city of Basra calling for a ban on public festivities while other congregations across the country have canceled services and cautioned worshipers to keep their celebrations private.
The Chaldean bishop of Basra, Imad al-Banna, is asking Christians “not to display their joy, not to publicly celebrate the feast of Nativity” to avoid offending Iraq’s Shiite community, whose Ashura holiday falls two days after Christmas this year.
According to Louis Sako, chief archbishop of Kirkuk for the Chaldean Christians, a Catholic sect that originated in Iraq, none of the northern archdiocese’s nine churches has scheduled a Christmas Mass this year.
“This is the first time we have had to cancel our celebrations,” he said.
Since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, Iraq’s Christian minority has faced constant persecution, including dozens of church bombings, executions, kidnappings and forced expulsions, devastating some communities and reducing the overall Christian population by at least 25 percent.
Just last week, a double car bombing at a church in Mosul killed four people and injured 40.
This year, with Christmas falling so close to Ashura, church officials in Baghdad and other cities say they have received warnings of attacks, forcing them to limit services to indoors and caution followers to keep family gatherings discreet.
“We are in solidarity with the people in Basra,” said Abdel Ahad, pastor of Baghdad’s Syrian Catholic Church. “We are afraid. We need to stop the bloodshed. We are going to do our prayers, but we will not celebrate.”
There are more details at the link.
posted December 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm
This is just disappointing. Indeed, that’s why this Christmas, instead of focusing on just giftwraps and presents, we need to be thinking about giving. Truly, isn’t that what God did — give Himself to us so that we may have the ability to save the human race from its sinful self?
Indeed, let’s have a Merry Christmas, but let’s not forget those who cannot have “peace and goodwill” this holiday season!
Here’s my blog article on this post and subject:
http://saacdelacroix.blogspot.com/2009/12/merry-christmas-but-dont-forget.html
posted December 23, 2009 at 5:46 pm
What difference has the U. S. presence in Iraq made for Iraqi Christians? I’m not up on the details, but it seems to me that the protection of Christians is not and never has been a concern for the U. S. in it’s negotiations with the Iraqis and in preparing the Iraqi government to take over.
Anyone have any details on what, if anything, the U. S. forces have or are doing to protect Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq?
posted December 23, 2009 at 8:22 pm
One should look at the CBS 60 Minutes report (last Sun.) on the way Orthodox Christians are treated in Turkey. Patriarch Bartholomew said he feels crucified there.
The Turkish government has gone ballistic over the Patriarch’s words and, I presume by extension, the 60 Minutes truthful report
posted December 23, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Our women and men in uniform are able to observe Christmas the best they can .
Most importantly they wonder if any one person thinks of them and YOU do , on their behalf I want to thank you for thinking of them – you are a caring person and it shows in your question – may God bless you and our women and men who serve .
http://ezinearticles.com/?Bowtrol-Colon-Cleanse-Review—Does-Bowtrol-Cleanse-Work?&id=2926555
posted December 24, 2009 at 1:48 am
I hope that everyone can have a merry Christmas.
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posted December 24, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Response to Bob – In a word, nothing. Nothing at all. Our relationship with Iraq’s Chirstians is tortuous frankly becuase although American personnel naturally feel a kinship to Iraqi Chirstians, policy cannot be made regarding any specific ethnic or religious group – doing so might (among other things) reinforce the notion of being Crusaders. Whenever US personnel are requested to take action on behalf of a Chirstian community in Iraq, that request is always referred to Iraqi authorities as an internal matter (Pontius Pilate-like), which it is. 9 times out of 10 Iraqi authorities choose not to take action on behalf of a largely disregarded minority. Our policy decision not to specifically support this or other persecuted Iraqi minorities (and there are many) has in effect sealed the fate of Iraqi Chirstians in any part of Iraq outside of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north. The more Sunni or Shia Iraqis persecute (torture, rape, murder, ethnically cleanse, etc) thier Christian minority, the more they undermine thier nation’s capacity for economic development since Iraqi Christians are the most educated and technically proficient group in Iraq. Saddam understood this and grudingly protected them. They are now without that protection and nothing short of a miracle will change this situation for them. At best, we shuold go to great lengths to allow them to emmigrate to the US; we would benefit immensely within one generation. In any event, Iraq’s 1700 year-old minority is most likely having its final chapter written right now, one unintended consequence of the invasion. This story is replicated across the Middle East, the patriarchs of these various ancient churches live in walled compounds under heavy security, and the majority of thier followers no longer live near them in thier home countries. Middle Eastern Christians feel the nails of Christ far more keenly than most of us can imagine. God protect them! Perhaps the blood they are shedding even at this moment will one day bring about a great change of heart with the followers of Mohammed.
posted December 24, 2009 at 4:44 pm
AR,
I appreciate the response. Are you, or anyone, aware of any organized effort to assist Iraqi Christians and other minorities interested in immigrating to the U. S.?
Doubt that it will matter much, but a letter to my congressman and senators is the very least I could do. The most I can do, I suppose, is to pray for that miracle.