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Coptic Christians Celebrate Christmas Amid Tight Security

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Coptic Christian women attend Christmas Eve Mass at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)
Coptic Christian women attend Christmas Eve Mass at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo, Egypt. (AP)

The Middle East is the birthplace of Christianity, but Christian communities across the region are declining in numbers and in some cases are being targeted for attacks. Most recently, a Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt was bombed, killing more than 20 people.

So today, Christmas Day on the Coptic calendar, the celebration is muted. The BBC's Middle East Editor Magdi Abdelhadi joins us from London with more on the Coptic Christians.

This segment aired on January 7, 2011.

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