Members of Gaza's tiny Christian community gather for Christmas

(24 Dec 2011) ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1. Church exterior, floodlit 2. Faithful get out of car, go into church 3. Various, people arriving outside church 4. Man holding toddler in Father Christmas suit 5. Close up, child in arms, in Father Christmas suit 6. Nativity scene tableau inside church, pan to congregation 7. Woman worshipper reading book 8. Various, congregation 9. Various. youth group band outside church 10. Cleric greeting worshippers 11. Various, worshippers outside church STORYLINE Gaza Christians attended a Christmas Mass in Gaza City on Saturday to mark the traditional anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. The service was followed by a social gathering of the small Christian community outside the local church. In Gaza, 3,500 Christians live among some 1.5 (m) million Muslims. An estimated 500 of the Christian minority left Gaza on Thursday for the festivities in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Christ. Christians make up for about two percent of the population in the Holy Land today, compared to about 15 percent in 1950. Many have emigrated to flee political tensions or in search of better economic opportunities. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...