Iraq's embattled Christians celebrate Easter

(April 13, 2009) Iraq's embattled Christians took advantage of improved security and gathered Sunday to celebrate Easter, even as roadside bombings killed a U.S. soldier and wounded four other Americans in separate attacks north of Baghdad. Tens of thousands of Christians have fled the country since the 2003 collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime and the rise of Islamic extremists such as al-Qaida in Iraq. Those who remained live in fear of kidnapping and assassination. But with better security in Baghdad and many other cities, Christians turned out for Easter services Sunday, and priests offered prayers for an end to the violence. “God protect us and rid our country of disputes and quarrels, let it be free of hatred and hostilities,” Cardinal Emmanuel II Delly said during a service in Baghdad's Mansour district, which was broadcast on state television. About 500 Christians attended services at the Virgin Mary Church in the southern city of Basra, where Shiite militiamen ruled the streets until an Iraqi government offensive last year. It was believed to be the largest attendance at the Basra church since 2003. In the northern city of Mosul, where Sunni insurgents remain active, most Christians avoided public places such as parks and restaurants, preferring to celebrate the holiday at home. Last year, thousands of Christians fled Mosul after a series of assassinations of Christians. Christians made up about 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people when the war began in 2003. The exact number of Christians remaining in Iraq is unclear but estimates put the figure at several hundred thousand.