Christmas Celebration in the Middle East

Streets are decorated with lights and the church bells ringing in the atmosphere and the happiness is spread everywhere during the birth of Jesus despite the sorrow in the region.

The Christians are celebrating in their churches in Jordan in safe atmospheres; the same applies on the displaced Iraqi Christians despite being away from families and loved ones. They are celebrating in trailers inside the Orthodox Church where they insisted on celebrating with their modest situation.

The humanitarian Caritas foundation in Jordan arranged a group lunch for the families displaced from Iraq in attempt to make them feel happiness and joy especially for the children and then there is a mass ceremony between hymns and prayer inside the church.

In Palestine, there were big celebrations leaving the Palestinians between joy of the Christmas and sorrow of the occupation presence. Bands walked around streets of Bethlehem with the Christians celebrating Christmas sending a joyful message to the world hoping that their happiness would be completed with the liberation of their country.

The displaced from the city of Mosul and Nineveh plains in “Ashti” camp for Christians in Erbil, there were no preparations and celebrations except wounded silence but hidden happiness of children despite the hard situation they are living especially with the long trip of displacement. Small churches and the big churches in Ankawa gathered Christians from camps hoping there will be safety and security in their coming Christmases.

In Bahrain, there are more than 100000 Catholic and others from different Christian sects. Malls and hotels decorated with Christmas decorations translating the unity and brotherhood between different religions. Mass presence with different sects and languages gathered by their love to Jesus and peace in Bahrain, people greeted each other then prayed with different languages.

In northern Syria, Alhasakah, mass services spread the happiness in the hearts of Christians who missed this kind of happiness due to dangers, pain and sorrow that they suffered concluding the happiness with music and prayers.

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