Somber reception for New Year in Arab countries: Christians content with mass and prayers

Shafaq News / The American "Alhurra" website published a report that highlighted the status of Christians in Arab countries and their stance on celebrating the New Year amidst the war in Gaza, the civil war in Sudan, and the suffering of many Arab countries due to poor economic conditions, preventing citizens from obtaining Christmas trees. This is especially poignant for the grieving Iraqi Christians after the tragedy of the Al-Hamdaniya wedding in Nineveh.

The report noted that the approach of Christmas and New Year’s Day witnesses streets in several Arab countries adorned with the distinctive colors of Christmas, with buildings and shops decorated accordingly. However, this year's scene seems subdued, as wars, conflicts, and economic crises have robbed the joy of celebration from exhausted families more focused on following conflict news or securing their daily needs.

While arrangements and preparations for celebrating this religious occasion differ among Christians due to their diverse denominations and traditions, many agree, in statements to "Alhurra", that the tragic events in Gaza, Sudan, and South Lebanon, along with their challenging social and economic circumstances, have disrupted their preparations for this year's celebrations.

Iraq

The Iraqi Christian activist and journalist, Farqad Malko, states that this year, Iraqi Christians' celebrations "will be limited to masses and prayers due to the war in Gaza," alongside the ongoing sorrow and pain resulting from the tragedy of Al-Hamdaniya, which claimed the lives of hundreds of Iraqis, and the country's challenging economic conditions.

Malko added that people are trying to "economize their expenses," noting that "families who used to celebrate have reduced their spending for this year's festivities by around half or a quarter and are now organizing them solely for their children."

Despite the lack of precise statistics on the number of Christians in Iraq due to the absence of a population census for years, there are currently 300,000 - 400,000 Christians compared to one and a half million before 2003, according to a previous report by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

She emphasizes that the decline in families' purchasing power is evident in the reduced preparations and arrangements for Christmas and New Year's celebrations compared to previous years, stating that "families are suffering from low wages against rising prices."

Despite Iraq's vast oil wealth, a third of its population suffers from poverty, according to the United Nations. The country has witnessed decades-long wars and sectarian conflicts, followed by a war against the ISIS organization, leading to the displacement of a large number of its population. Although there is relative stability in its security situation currently, it still suffers from the repercussions of corruption that afflict the majority of its institutions and embezzle public funds. Government policies have not completely succeeded in eliminating this plague, according to AFP.

Jordan

From the Jordanian city of Salt, Rameya Dababneh said, "The holiday is not about its day, but about the weeks of preparations and arrangements. This year, the focus has been on the war in Gaza and the tragic news we are witnessing."

Dababneh pointed out that celebrations will take place inside homes and churches, modestly held, stemming from their belief in a better tomorrow.

The percentage of Christians in Jordan reaches approximately 8% of the country's total population, which exceeds 11 million.

Most Christians belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Additionally, there are those who adhere to the Catholic, Latin, Orthodox Syriac, Orthodox Copts, and other denominations.

Dababneh indicated that "Amman and the surrounding cities usually decorate with Christmas trees, prepare for New Year's celebrations with fireworks and artistic events in restaurants and homes. However, this year, even if war did not break out, we would not witness these celebrations, as high living costs and inflation have dampened the joy of Jordanians."

She added, "Prices of holiday cakes, chicken, and meat have risen, affecting the average Jordanian whose salary barely covers the first few days of the month due to high taxes and global price hikes."

Jordan faces tough economic conditions aggravated by debts nearing $47 billion, which amounts to 106% of the Gross Domestic Product, according to public finance data from January until the end of August 2023.

Economic analyst Amer Al-Shobaki stated that the private sector suffers from closures due to several reasons, mainly "the decline in citizens' purchasing power, especially under high tax burdens exceeding 29% according to official figures." He criticized the quality of the official economic numbers, emphasizing that the tax burden on Jordanians might exceed 35%.

Tax burdens on Jordanian citizens have eroded incomes, particularly with the rising prices, directly affecting commercial sectors, along with other burdens forcing business owners to shut down, such as increased borrowing costs.

The annual inflation rate rose to more than 5.2% by the end of last October, according to the IMF's fifth review of Jordan's economic performance announced in November last year. The IMF notes that local commodity prices are "moderate" compared to global levels but reflect an increase driven by rising global fuel and food prices.

Lebanon

From Beirut, Lebanese employee Daryn Dhamin expressed, "The holiday joy and the New Year are usually beautiful in Lebanon, but the decorations are limited to streets and some cities that attract visitors and expatriates, nothing more."

Dhamin explained, "The battles in the south are far from Beirut, but people are saddened by them and by the war in Gaza, along with other problems, notably the earthquake and its psychological aftermath."

Traditionally, Christian families used to prepare for Christmas with special arrangements, such as buying sweets, acquiring a Christmas tree, decorating it, and exchanging gifts during special parties they organized to celebrate this occasion. However, the festive atmosphere has dwindled in recent years.

She continued, "The cost of a New Year's Eve dinner is extremely high, not less than six million Lebanese pounds, and even the holiday cake has reached 10 million pounds in some shops."

Notably, the exchange rate is around 89,000 Lebanese pounds per US dollar in the parallel market.

Furthermore, Lebanon's southern borders regularly witness exchanges of gunfire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7.

The World Bank explained in its report on Thursday that the repercussions of the current conflict have affected the slight recovery that Lebanon, mired in a deep economic crisis for years, had achieved. This has pushed the majority of the population below the poverty line, with the state failing to provide basic services.

Regarding the price of Christmas trees and their decoration, Jocelyn Abi Rashid, a mother of two living in the suburbs of the Lebanese capital, stated, "We have had our tree for about six years, and for the last three years, we have not bought any new decorations since everything is priced in dollars. A single star costs no less than $8, and any colored ball would cost around $3 - $5, possibly reaching up to $50."

She added, "The price of a new tree is not less than $50. No one will pay that amount now, and the dinner will be modest and limited to a few people," indicating that she decided, along with her family members, to gather in one house, each bringing a dish to share and reduce the cost.

Syria

Halla, a housewife residing in the province of Homs in Syria has set up a Christmas tree adorned with old decorations dating back seven years. She has resorted to placing red fabrics on the couch to create a Christmas atmosphere for her two children.

She said, "It is my children's right to celebrate and wear new clothes for this occasion." However, she pointed out "the financial difficulties she faces that prevent her from buying anything new."

After years of war, Syria is facing a suffocating economic crisis coupled with a staggering 12-fold increase in the prices of basic goods in just the past three years. There is an almost constant power outage, fuel shortages, and the majority of the population living below the poverty line.

The crisis has been exacerbated by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent outbreak of cholera in the past few months in a country where the conflict has drained essential services, particularly the healthcare sector.

Since 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a devastating conflict that has resulted in the deaths of nearly half a million people, immense infrastructure destruction, and the displacement of more than half the population both within and outside the country.

Halla told Alhurra, "The price of a wool sweater is not less than 113,000 Syrian pounds," noting that the value of one dollar has reached around 14,000 pounds in the black market.

Regarding the cost of preparing for the holiday meals of Christmas and New Year's, she said, "I am unaware of the prices as I have been invited to my in-laws' place, who work in Gulf countries."

Morocco

On his part, Mustafa Al-Soussi, the official spokesperson for the Coordination of Moroccan Christians, stated that "preparations are underway among us for organizing the celebrations." However, he pointed out that the upcoming holiday season, following a few months after the earthquake in Al Haouz, and the events unfolding in Gaza and Sudan, overshadow the celebrations this year.

Al-Soussi added that the prayers and masses held during this occasion "will focus on global peace... and we will pray for security and love for all of humanity."

While obtaining an accurate estimate of the number of Moroccan Christians remains challenging due to the absence of statistical data from official or research centers, some representatives of the Christian community estimate the number of Moroccan Christians to be around 12,000, scattered across the kingdom. They highlight their struggles, describing them as "restrictions on their religious freedoms," in the absence of official recognition.

Regarding the form of celebrations to be held in this context, Al-Soussi mentioned that some individuals prefer to celebrate within their homes due to fear from their families or the society, while others opt to attend the official churches in the country to participate in the celebrations alongside foreign Christians.

It is noteworthy that Al Haouz region, near the city of Marrakech, experienced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, the most severe earthquake ever recorded in the country.

The earthquake that struck on the night of September 8 resulted in the death of around 3,000 people and left more than 5,600 injured, in addition to displacing many others.

Egypt

In Egypt, home to the largest Christian minority in the Middle East, comprising between 10%-15% of its 105 million population, Reverend Rifaat Fikry, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Middle East Council of Churches, stated that Christian families in the country have begun preparations for the holidays. He clarified that churches have set up Christmas trees, and likewise, many families have done the same.

Regarding whether the country's economic crisis has impacted the nature and scale of celebrations, Fikry noted that "Egyptian Christians have varying economic statuses... there are the wealthy, the poor, and those with middle incomes, and each family operates within their economic means."

Fikry added that "each local church assists impoverished families around them, especially during the holidays."

Egypt, with a population nearing 106 million, has one-third of its populace living below the poverty line, facing one of its worst economic crises in history. Inflation rates have soared to a record high of over 36%, propelled by the depreciation of the local currency and a shortage of foreign currency in a country that imports most of its food needs.

The "food inflation" has deepened the suffering of Egyptians, witnessing unprecedented hikes in food prices, making them among the most affected by food inflation, according to World Bank data.

Palestine

In the Palestinian territories, the Ramallah municipality and its council of churches decided a month ago to cancel the usual Christmas festivities and celebrations out of respect for the victims of the Israeli bombings in Gaza.

A statement released by the municipality and the council of churches said, "While the world prepares to celebrate the Christmas holidays, here in Palestine, the land of Christ, we receive the holidays with more pain and suffering."

They further stated that they decided to "cancel all usual Christmas festivities held annually in the city, restricting them to church services, prayers, and supplications for our people in Gaza."

Military operations by Israel, involving airstrikes and ground incursions in Gaza, have resulted in the deaths of around 20,000 people, including at least 8,000 children and 6,200 women, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. These figures are since the surprise attack by Hamas, leading to the deaths of 1,140 individuals, most of whom were civilians, including women and children, based on the latest official Israeli figures from AFP.

Sudan

In Sudan, where clashes between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army have persisted since April last year, the usual New Year's celebrations have been absent amid a large-scale migration and displacement of people whose living conditions have deteriorated.

According to the United Nations, 65% of Sudanese lived below the poverty line in 2020, with one-third suffering from hunger before the war. Presently, in addition to a catastrophic agricultural season, humanitarian aid has been looted from organizations' warehouses, as per AFP.

Moreover, the United Nations warned that an additional 2.5 million displaced individuals would suffer from hunger daily if the war continues.