The Vatican's ambassador to Iraq - making a spot check.
Bishop Giorgio Linguay visits a church in the southern port city of Basra to see how local Christians are faring.
While the number of practicing Christians has plummeted in Iraq, the Bishop said they're as important as "salt in food."
He did concede, though, that most Christians want to leave the country, wracked by years of instability and sectarian clashes.
With Christmas just days away, the Vatican envoy met with Muslim community leaders to discuss the living conditions of Christians.
Iraq was once home to 1.5 million members of the faith.
But their numbers have dwindled following years of violence, including attacks on churches and Christian-owned shops.
The church estimates there are just 850,000 Christians now in Iraq.
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