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In Mosul, Iraqi Christians Brave the Violence to Celebrate Chr...
Iraq is improving but it is
still a dangerous place. For
Christians, a small minority,
this is even more true.
Iraqi Christians in the northern city of Mosul say this year has been the worst in living memory. After a wave of killings and attacks in October, more than 2,000 families fled to nearby villages.
Mosul remains one of the most dangerous places in Iraq and a stubborn holdout of the insurgency, but security has improved enough that at least half of those families have returned. On Thursday, they braved the violence and biting cold and rain to attend Christmas Masses and pray for their safety.
At the nearly thousand-year-old Chaldean church of Miskinta, where a bomb had exploded in October and graffiti praising the insurgency remains on a nearby wall, about 50 parishioners followed a deacon outside to the courtyard, where a fire was lighted to symbolize the birth of Christ.
Many tried to hold back tears as they prayed for “the rebirth of tormented Iraq to a new life of forgiveness and compassion.”




Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 21:20 on December 26th, 2008
Iraqi Christian where doing rather well under Sadam and where even part off the Government, they has been some resentment since Sadam was taken from power due to the association with Sadam.
at 07:30 on December 27th, 2008
Yes, I remember that, one Cjhristian was foreign minister.
Iraqis have long memories.
at 08:13 on December 27th, 2008
158 you are not christian, I think, no problem. But the fact you should no the christian Irakis had to flee under US controlled Irak to France and Germany. This is not all. In Turkey same situation a christian can not live there. This is not a good development. In my town in France we live all together, yes with some tensions; but it works, it is just respect for the Other not understanding. When you adress the ancient foreign minister, I don't know if US driven justice let kill him too. The only reason US wants no witnesses after Bush for the crime of 1 million dead Iraqis that never attacked the US, but the CIA wanted the War for Petrol.
at 13:37 on December 27th, 2008
I am Christian and I understand Christians are persecuted in many Islamic countries.
I was not agreeing with mistreatment of Christians, I just agreed some did work with Saddam. I doubt that the present persecution of Christians has much relation to that.
Iraq oil production now is less than before the war so if the war was for petrol it did not work.