The ancient Christian communities of the Middle East are facing an existential threat, with populations dwindling significantly in regions destabilized by conflict and the rise of Islamist forces. In Iraq, the Christian population, once numbering in the millions, has fallen to below a million, largely due to the US invasion of Iraq and the rise of the Islamic State group. These communities, including the largest groups of Chaldeans and Assyrian churches, have maintained a continuous presence since at least the 2nd Century.
The Islamist Threat to Indigenous Communities
Syria's Christian population, which constituted 10 percent of the country's 25 million people before the start of the Syrian War in 2011, has also seen a significant decline. Syrian Christianity traces its origins directly to the beginning of the religion, with the country being the site of Paul the Apostle’s dramatic epiphany on the road to Damascus. Today's Christians in Syria primarily belong to Eastern Orthodox churches, alongside Catholic and Chaldean communities. The broader Middle East is home to the world's oldest Christian communities, with many tracing their faith back two millennia to its foundation in what is now Palestine, Israel, and Syria. Some Christians in parts of Iraq and Syria continue to speak dialects of the Aramaic languages, which Jesus would have spoken.
Precarious Existence in Contested Lands
An estimated 47,000 Christians currently reside in the Occupied Territories, with a fraction in Gaza and the remainder living in the West Bank. Most of these follow the Eastern Orthodox church, though Catholic and Protestant communities are also present. Bethlehem, known as Bait Lahm in Arabic and located six miles south of Jerusalem, is revered as the birthplace of Jesus. It hosts an annual church service at the Church of the Nativity, built at the believed site of Jesus' birth. Celebrations commence with a parade through the city's main streets on Christmas Eve, followed by a service led by the Roman Catholic bishop of Jerusalem. Local scout groups participate in the parade, playing instruments, while international visitors come to witness the event.
Ancient Heritage Under Siege
Despite the ongoing pressures, these communities strive to maintain their ancient traditions. In Iraq, a Christmas tradition involves a bonfire of dried thorned branches, lit after children complete a recitation of the nativity story from the Book of Psalms by candlelight. The tradition holds that if the thorns burn completely to ash, the year ahead will bring good fortune. After the flames subside, family members jump over the ashes three times, making a wish. Date-filled biscuits called “klecha” are also exchanged during the festive period. In Syria, Christmas camels are part of local tradition, believed to have carried the three wise men to Bethlehem. Children welcome the camel, which takes on St Nick’s role, by filling shoes with hay and placing bowls of water on Christmas Eve. Many Christians in Eastern Orthodox communities, including Syria, observe a 40 to 43-day fast before Christmas, abstaining from dairy, meat, eggs, and fish, breaking it on Christmas Eve with a feast of Levantine dishes.
Egypt hosts the largest Christian population in the region, comprising between 10 and 20 percent of its total population, or up to 20 million people. The majority of Egyptian Christians belong to the Coptic Orthodox church, which split from other Christian denominations 1575 years ago. Coptic Christians observe a holy Nativity fast, adhering to a strictly vegan diet for 43 days before Christmas, and celebrate Christmas on January 7. Lebanon, with just over two million Christians making up around a third of its population, celebrates “Eid Milad Majid” with elaborate decorations. Most Lebanese Christians are Maronite Catholics, alongside prominent Eastern Orthodox communities. A unique Levantine tradition involves decorating nativity scenes with green shoots, grown from pulses soaked two weeks before Christmas, symbolizing birth and life. In Jordan, Christians constitute around eight percent of the population, or approximately 800,000 people, predominantly belonging to the Eastern Orthodox Church. A Jordanian Christmas tradition involves preparing a rich, alcohol-infused fruitcake weeks in advance, to be eaten on Christmas Eve.