Christianity faces "elimination" in the Middle East, the region where it began, the Archbishop of Canterbury has warned in his Christmas Day sermon.
The Most Reverend Justin Welby said so-called Islamic State is "igniting a trail of fear, violence, hatred and determined oppression".
He also branded IS as "today's Herods" - a reference to the Biblical king at the time of Jesus's birth.
The archbishop delivered his sermon at Canterbury Cathedral.
He said: "Confident that these are the last days, using force and indescribable cruelty, they [IS] seem to welcome all opposition, certain that the warfare unleashed confirms that these are indeed the end times.
"They hate difference, whether it is Muslims who think differently, Yazidis or Christians, and because of them the Christians face elimination in the very region in which Christian faith began.
"This apocalypse is defined by themselves and heralded only by the angel of death." [BBC] Read more
