A bill for Iraq to formally recognise Christmas as a national holiday has unanimously passed Parliament. This is an important step, as it is common worldwide for persecution incidents targeting Christians to increase during the Christmas and Easter season.

Government recognition of these holidays as legitimate messages that the local Christian presence is also legitimate. However, Christians are not secure in Iraq. Although three years have passed since Iraq declared ISIS militarily defeated, many Christians, who have left the country are afraid of returning now, because of the hostility against Christians, that is still present in the country.

Source: Persecution.org