| On Christmas Eve, Iraqi
Christian families gather together and one of the children read about the
birth of Jesus while other family members hold lighted candles. Afterward
the reading, a bonfire of thorn bushes is let and everyone sings. If the
thorns burn to ashes, good luck will be granted for the coming year. When
the fire dies, each person jumps over the ashes three times and makes a
wish.
On Christmas Day another bonfire is lit in the
churchyard. The bishop, carrying a figure of the Baby Jesus leads the
service. Afterwards he blesses one person with a touch. That person
touches the person next to him or her and the touch is passed around until
all present have felt the "touch of peace."
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