Iraq Officially Makes Christmas Day A National Holiday

Iraqis shop for Christmas decorations in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. Photo Credit: Ali Abdul Hassan/AP

The Iraqi government has approved a law to mark Christmas Day, December 25, as an official holiday across the country, according to a statement released on Monday.

The Iraqi Cabinet voted on an amendment to the national holidays law in the country that Christmas Day is a holiday for all Iraqis, and not only for the Christian community, as it had been for decades.

“Happy Christmas to our Christian citizens, all Iraqis and to all who are celebrating around the world,” the Iraqi government said on Twitter.

Before the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, there were about 1.4 million Christians in the country. However, their numbers have dwindled to roughly 300,000 after hundreds of thousands fled the country following violence and attacks by various armed groups over the years.





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