The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has used his Christmas message to highlight the plight of Christians being persecuted for their faith.
The Archbishop of Westminster said many, especially in the Middle East, were risking their lives to worship.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is expected to raise similar concerns in his first Christmas Day sermon later.
Justin Welby will also highlight injustices faced by the poor in the UK.
Speaking at Christmas midnight Mass in Westminster Cathedral, Archbishop Vincent Nichols told the congregation to give "a special thought and prayer" to Christians around the world who suffer for their faith.
"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," he said.
Archbishop Nichols cited similar concerns voiced by the Prince of Wales this month during a visit to the Coptic and Syrian Orthodox communities in Hertfordshire and London.
Twitter campaign"As Prince Charles said last week: 'Christianity was literally born in the Middle East and we must not forget our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters'," he said.
"We come to this Cathedral this evening freely and relatively easily, ready to give a simple act of witness to our faith," he said.
"But for many, going to church is an act of life-risking bravery. We thank them and seek to be inspired by their courageous faith."
The Most Reverend Justin Welby is also expected to condemn attacks on the Christian religion in the Middle East when he speaks at morning service in Canterbury Cathedral.
Archbishop Welby, who was enthroned in March, also plans to "challenge the causes of poverty".
The former oil company executive - who this year launched a campaign against payday lending firms - will refer to "injustices at home... even in a recovering economy".
Earlier he posted a brief Christmas video message on the photo-sharing website Instagram and tweeted a link to the clip through his Twitter account.
He said: "Christmas means that, through Jesus, God shows unconditionally that he loves us. I pray that he gives you a very blessed Christmas."
Lambeth Palace said the video message was part of a Church of England campaign which aims to encourage congregations and clergy to let people know what they see as the "joy and meaning of Christmas".
It urges Anglicans across the world to complete the sentence: "Christmas means..." and send their message through Twitter.
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