Fear, not festivities, dominates Christmas for war-weary Iraqis
The threat of terror attacks has caused many churches to cancel or reschedule services
Huddled with his family around a kerosene-powered heater, Sirab Suleyman, a 28-year-old Iraqi Christian, retreats into memories of Christmases past.
Before the church bombings, the threats against Christian businesses and the gathering exodus of Iraq's Christian minority, there was a time when Mr Suleyman and his Muslim friends used to spend Christmas carolling in the streets, laughing and hollering.
'Before the war, Muslims and Christians used to celebrate Christmas together,' he says, rubbing his hands for warmth in his modest living room.
'Muslims used to visit their Christian friends and greet them. It was a true celebration. That's over now.'
For Iraq's Christians, this holiday season may well be remembered as the grimmest ever, the year when militant Islamic leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi became the Grinch who stole Christmas.
Many of Iraq's churches have cancelled Mass or rescheduled it for the morning or early afternoon, for fear of drawing the attention of terrorists.
Unlike Christmases past, there are few signs of the Christmas holiday. Most Iraqi Christians - who include Chaldeans with allegiance to the Pope as well as Assyrians, Armenians and other small denominations - have moved their lights and decorations indoors for fear of attacks like those that struck churches in August and October.
Many Christians say they are too terrified to attend Mass this year. 'I'm afraid of car bombs,' said Dinkha al-Dawoudi, 48, a hotel receptionist and father of two. 'The spirit of Christmas has really been affected by the security conditions. There is no joy in Christmas.'
Extremist Muslim groups have targeted Iraqi churches and businesses as part of their battle against the United States-led occupation forces. Iraqi Christians find this especially upsetting. Many of them insist they are Arab nationalists who oppose the American presence just as much as resistance fighters in Fallujah or Mosul.
'The resistance should go and fight the Americans,' said Father Gabriel Shamami, who leads the St George's Church in Baghdad. 'It's true the Americans are Christians and we are Christians. But they should not associate us with them. All the Christians want the Americans to get out and the occupation to end. Nobody is with the Americans.'
Fear and depression are palpable among Christians. As many as one in 10 has left the country since the war last year, with more applying for visas to get out.
'This year is different from all the other years,' said Salima Tawbia, 54, an Iraqi Christian mother of eight. 'It's all sadness.'
For Jenan Ashur and his family, Christmases past came in a rush of noise and bright colours. 'We can't stand out on streets now,' he said. 'It's too dangerous.'
Long gone are the days when Muslims as well as Christians would decorate their homes with Christmas trees.
In fact, this Christmas, very few Iraqis are buying pine trees at all. Mohammad Noori, who sells Christmas trees, says he sold 35 trees last year. By Wednesday he had sold only one.
Some Christians, especially the older ones, scoffed at the fears surrounding church service attendance.
Hendrawas Yunan Azar, 74, said he would attend Christmas Mass with his sister, even though relatives of his died in a church bombing last summer.
'I'll go to church even if I die,' he says. 'If we die in church, we will be like the saints.'
