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Baghdad's Christians to go north or celebrate Xmas at home
Voices of Iraq: Baghdad-Christians (Feature)
Posted by: saleem on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 12:35 PMBaghdad-Christians (Feature)
Baghdad's Christians to go north or celebrate Xmas at home
By Santa Michael
Baghdad, Dec 24, (VOI) – Sarkoon Nasser, cheerlessly looking at his 20-year-old Christmas tree, says his family decorate the tree every year and all relatives come to his house to celebrate Christmas.
"This year, however, we are not going to celebrate because of security concerns. Three of my brothers have emigrated in search of stability and safety," said Nasser, who resides in the predominantly-Shiite area of New Baghdad.
He said he is not having Christmas celebrations this year also in respect for the sentiments of many neighbors who lost many of their beloved ones in explosions gripping the city.
Pointing a finger at his two young kids, Nasser said "for them I decided to go to Arbil, to which I was invited by my sister, and to celebrate Christmas there with my folks but of course it would not be the kind of celebration like that of the good old days."
Deteriorating security conditions in the capital Baghdad and fears of armed attacks have forced many Christian families to go to Arbil and Dahuk in Iraqi north region, where they may hold Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Abu Maryam, Nasser's maternal uncle, says "I agreed with my family and my sister's to go to Arbil, where we can go to the church and attend the mass safely."
However, the same conditions forced a number of others to stay at home and have a simple Christmas celebration.
"I would never leave my home. I agreed with my neighbor to stay together, make klecha (cookies) for the occasion and decorate a small Christmas tree," said Madeleine Badin, while preparing the dough for her klecha.
Klecha is a kind of traditional cookies that are stuffed with nuts and dates.
Her son Andy, 17, said "I agreed with my friends and neighbors to have a small celebration at home by playing CDs but we are not going to be noisy because the public atmosphere is not encouraging."
"Attacks will never prevent us from celebrating the Christmas, which is a celebration of change for the best, and this is what we really wish for our beloved Iraq," said Andy.
Christians in Iraq, whose number is diminishing as time goes by, might agree with Andy about the wish to have the celebrated anniversary of the birth of Christ, the messenger for love and peace, as a step towards change for the better in the war-torn country.
Churches in Iraq, for the fourth year running, have cancelled all aspects of jubilant celebrations and settled for religious rituals, prayers and invocations for God to stem the bloodshed in Iraq.
AE
Copyright © 2006 by Assyria National Assembly. All rights reserved.