TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Roueida Mabardi
A Syrian flag is seen next to the crosses of a church at a Christian dominated neighbourhood of Damascus on December 22, 2011. Nine months of unrest in Syria have stripped Bab Tuma, the oldest Christian quarter of Damascus, of any sign of Christmas joy as Syrian Christians have decided to cancel celebrations and only observe Christmas mass. AFP HOTO/JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)