Baghdad: The head of Iraq’s Chaldean Catholic Church, Cardinal Luis Rafael Sacco, has called on believers to quietly celebrate Christmas this year without any major celebrations, saying solidarity with anti-government protesters in Iraq. In an interview with the Associated Press, he said that it is not good to celebrate Christmas when so many people are dead.
Prayer and Holy Communion are the only celebrations this Christmas. The money previously allocated for Christmas celebrations and for decorating the streets will be used to help the injured during the agitation. The protesters demand the government only for stability, fairness and equitable citizenship. This is exactly what we need. We suffered a lot. Many have been killed and abducted since the old regime fell. He added that the jihadi militants had seized the home and property of many Christians.
The Cardinal pointed out that since the outbreak of the uprising, nearly four hundred people have been killed. Last week, Cardinal Sacco issued a letter stating that Iraqi Christians were in trouble despite the defeat of the Islamic State and that Iraqi Christians needed all sorts of help, including medical aid. At the same time, people have already accepted the call of Cardinal Sacco. The Christmas tree raised in Baghdad this year is decorated with images of people killed in protests instead of traditional Christmas decorations.
