Monthly Photos　December 2013

Photos taken by ILCAA staff and associates are posted here once a month; most of them are taken during their field research in Asia and Africa.

(The copyright belongs to the photographers.)

Long Christmas in Lebanon

Why does he work such a long period? The answer comes from the religious composition in Lebanon. There are 18 religious-sects officially recognized in Lebanon, and among them, there are Christians called Greek Orthodox and Armenian Church. They use Julian calendar – slightly different from the Gregorian calendar which are used in Japan and most of the European countries – and it sets their Christmas to be not on 25th December but on 7th January. After the Christmas for Catholics and Protestants, Santa Clause must stay until another Christmas comes for the other people.

Under the Christmas illumination shining the city, there are also Muslims living in the same district. The man putting decorations on the Christmas tree may be a Shiite Muslim coming from south Lebanon. Despite the religious radicalists urging inter-religious conflicts in many places these days, I wish sustenance of this daily coexistence and a merry Christmas for all people.

JAN 2011
Christmas ornaments in Mayflower Hotel in Beirut
Photograph by Aiko NISHIKIDA

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