Iraq's Cabinet formally declared Christmas to be a national holiday as the country's Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus amid tight security more than a year after Baghdad declared victory over ISIS who sought to eradicate all who did not follow the group's strict interpretation of Sunni Islam.
"We extend our warmest wishes to Christians in Iraq and around the world for a very happy and peaceful Christmas," the government said in a Tuesday morning tweet.
In Baghdad, more than one hundred congregants attended Christmas mass at St. George Chaldean Church, led by Father Basilius.
"Of course we can say the security situation is better than in previous years," he told Reuters. "We enjoy security and stability mainly in Baghdad. In addition, Daesh [the Arabic acronym for ISIS] was beaten."
In an acknowledgment of the improved security situation, Pope Francis has dispatched his trusted secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Iraq to celebrate the Christmas season.

SOURCE: www.foxnews.com/world/iraq-officially-declares-christmas-day-a-national-holiday

CC: seun, mynd44, lalasticlala, dominique, et al

I'm visiting iraq

nice development!!!


for this very gesture, the iraqi christians are gonna be the happiest people on earth

Finally the Middle East is becoming more matured and reasonable .......they have looked at their more developed counterparts (uae,qatar,kuwait etc) and they have realised that religious hatred isn't good for progress.

Few years from now, Iraq will turn to Dubai because of rapid infrastructural and human capital development while Nigeria...

PROPHETmichael:
Few years from now, Iraq will turn to Dubai because of rapid infrastructural and human capital development while Nigeria...

Nigeria what? Complete am

veeshock:

Nigeria what? Complete am

...Nigeria will remain stagnant due to the stupidity of both the leaders and the followers!

I don help am complete am na...