Shiite tribal leaders attend Christmas mass at an Assyrian orthodox church in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. The church, which is located next to a Shiite mosque, hosted their neighbors for Christmas mass as a gesture of friendship.
.
Posted on 12/25/2007 4:36:59 PM PST by george76
Thousands of Iraqi Christians made their way to church through checkpoints and streets lined with blast walls, many drawing hope from a lull in violence to celebrate Christmas Mass in numbers unthinkable a year ago.
"We did not celebrate last year, but this year we have security and we feel better," said Rasha Ghaban, one of many women at the small Church of the Holy Family in Karradah...
Families streamed into the church's courtyard, wrapped in heavy winter jackets to protect them from the early morning chill. Young children with neatly combed hair held their parents' hands, and women stopped by the front door to pick through a basket of small lacy headscarves, placing them over their hair before walking in.
The pews were almost full—women toward the back and on the right side of the church, the men on the left—and still more people streamed in. Outside, police armed with automatic rifles manned a checkpoint at the corner of the narrow street, searching every passing car for possible bombs.
Christians have often been the target of attacks by Islamic extremists in Iraq, forcing tens of thousands to flee... Less than 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people are Christians—the majority Chaldean-Assyrians and Armenians, with small numbers of Roman Catholics.
Muslim clerics—both Sunni and Shiite—also attended the service in a sign of unity.
"May Iraq be safe every year, and may our Christian brothers be safe every year," Shiite cleric Hadi al-Jazail told AP Television News outside the church. "We came to celebrate with them and to reassure them."
William Jalal, a 39-year old father of three attending Mass at Mar Eliya, said this Christmas was clearly different...
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
The Surge is working.
Christians are going to church.
It is cold there...Global Warming is not working as Al planned.
.
Just a "lull" folks. AP can still hope the bad guys can ramp things up.
God Bless and protect the Iraqi Christians. May their fellow Iraqis who are muslim also see the light.
God bless the Iraqis
It was 36 degrees in Kuwait last night....global warming, eh Al?
Shiite tribal leaders attend Christmas mass at an Assyrian orthodox church in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. The church, which is located next to a Shiite mosque, hosted their neighbors for Christmas mass as a gesture of friendship.
.
Our prayers are working...Christians are returning to their homes and churches in the Middle East.
This is a good development.
And our troops celebrated Christmas in one of Saddam’s palaces!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1944119/posts
An Iraqi family hosts a whole platoon for a Chistmas dinner...because we ruined their country and they hate us so much I guess.....
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/12/a-true-gift-of.html
That’s a step in the right direction. Perhaps some of those Shiites will even consider converting to Christianity.
I’ve been praying for same. Great article. Prayers do work! God bless and Merry Christmas!
Great article, thanks!!
Wow! What a great picture! The Infant Jesus does amazing things, and throughout history, the Crib is the place where everything converges.
So wonderful! I’m moved to tears. There were some Iraqi families that would bring food to my son’s squad. He said it was some of the best food he’d ever eaten. I was always asking him to find out what spices were used. (Darn, need to go find a tissue.) God bless and Merry Christmas!
God bless and Merry Christmas!
I’m not sure if Iraqi cooking is much like Egyptian but I’ll ask my Mom what recipes she remembers from our time there.
God bless you and(I read your “about” page)your whole family of patriots!
I think it might be a real treat for your son, especially if you could get some of his buddies to be there too.
"May Iraq be safe every year, and may our Christian brothers be safe every year," Shiite cleric Hadi al-Jazail told AP Television News outside the church. "We came to celebrate with them and to reassure them."
Godspeed, Iraq. We're with you.
Godspeed, Allegra.
We’re with you, too.
I don’t see any women in that pic?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.