A Palestinian antiquities official said on Tuesday that workers renovating a house in the traditional town of Jesus' birth accidentally discovered an untouched ancient tomb containing clay pots, plates, beads and the bones of two humans.

In Rome, the faithful marked Christmas Day, with political and religious leaders calling for peace and reconciliation amid flickers of hope in places long plagued by conflict. In Iraq, Christians made their way past checkpoints on Tuesday to fill Baghdad churches in numbers unthinkable a year ago.

By Nicole Winfield Associated Press ROME -- As the faithful marked Christmas Day, political and religious leaders called for peace and reconciliation amid flickers of hope in places long plagued by conflict.

Amid celebrations and signs of hope in Iraq and the West Bank, political and religious leaders marked Christmas Day by calling for peace, reconciliation and justice in places beleaguered by conflict.

As the faithful marked Christmas Day, political and religious leaders called for peace and reconciliation amid flickers of hope in places long plagued by conflict.