Iraq's main Christian community will be celebrating traditional Christmas mass earlier than normal after a series of attacks against churches across the country.
Chaldean patriarch Emmanuel Delly has ordered that the usual 10:00 pm (1900 GMT) December 24 service be moved forward to 5:00 pm, said Bishop Andreas Abuna.
Delly has also advised worshippers not to travel to present him -- as is the custom -- with Christmas greetings, although mass will take place as normal on December 25, Abuna added.
"It is a way to protest against the attacks. We want peace," he said, denying that the mass schedule has been altered because of security fears.
In August, 10 people were killed and 50 wounded when four bombs went off outside churches in Baghdad and another two in Mosul. Makeshift bombs also exploded outside five Baghdad churches in October, but claimed no victims.