The Head of the Catholic church in England and Wales, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols's message came during Midnight Mass at London's Westminster Cathedral
The most senior Catholic in England and Wales has told followers to pray for Christians in the Middle East, where even going to church is 'an act of life-risking bravery'
The Archbishop of Westminster warned of the dangers to Christians in Egypt, Iraq and Syria, all dogged by religious violence.
The Most Rev Vincent Nichols added Christianity 'was literally born in the Middle East' as he delivered Midnight Mass to worshippers in London's Westminster Cathedral.
The homily echoes comments by Prince Charles last week as he visited Coptic and Syrian Orthodox communities now living in London and Hertfordshire.
Coptic Christians in Egypt make up a tenth of the population but have faced sectarian violence since the ousting of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi in July.
About a tenth of Syrians are Christian, too - but with the country in the thick of a brutal civil war, minorities feel increasingly threatened.
The Archbishop said: 'Christians are the most widely persecuted religious group in the world today and this evening we think especially of the Middle East, especially of Egypt, Iraq and Syria
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