Early Mass for Iraqi Christians

The Christmas Eve Mass for Baghdad’s small and beleaguered Christian community started before dusk today instead of at the traditional midnight, a reflection of continued security concerns in the Iraqi capital.

About 50 people attended the service in the Mar Yusif Chaldean Catholic Church, which started in the late afternoon – like the previous five Christmas Eves since the US-led invasion – even though the overall number of attacks in the city has plummeted this year.