LAST UPDATED: 18.27
Another shocking incident involving stabbings has rocked Sydney, some days after the tragic events at a local shopping center that claimed the lives of six individuals. This time, the violence unfolded during a live broadcast in the Wakeley district, west of Sydney, at The Good Shepherd Church.
As the priest, Mari Emmanuel, delivered his sermon, a stranger holding a knife suddenly approached the altar and launched an attack, stabbing him multiple times. Parishioners intervened to prevent him, but not before several others were injured. Law enforcement swiftly arrested the attacker, though the motives behind the assault remain unclear. Fortunately, initial reports suggest that the priest’s injuries are not life-threatening.
As reported by protothema.gr, Mari Emmanuel is a prominent leader of an ultra-conservative sect of the Assyrian Church. He became popular during the pandemic for his criticism of lockdowns and vaccines.
By livestreaming his services on YouTube and social media, where he has thousands of followers (about 17,000 on Facebook), he gave “fiery” speeches and attracted radical Christians to his anti-LGBTQ sermons.
His other viral live broadcasts include harsh views on U.S. and Russian politics and the United Nations.
According to the website of Christ The Good Shepherd Church, Emmanuel has traveled to various parts of the world to teach the Bible, including Arizona, USA in December and Gaza a few weeks ago.
In his pastoral message posted on the church’s website, the pastor says, in part, that “in our time, we believe that the most important and fundamental realization is to arrive at the truth. The world bombards the human race with so much information that we often lose our orientation in discerning the lie from the truth.”
🚨JUST IN! Bishop Mari Mari Emmanuel of the Assyrian Church in Australia has just been attacked by an armed assailant during a church service in Western Sydney.
Shocking. pic.twitter.com/SUSGRO6ofi
— Aussie Cossack (@aussiecossack) April 15, 2024
BREAKING: Christians rising up in Sydney after Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel Stabbed at Sydney Church.pic.twitter.com/7kwDB6dVzI
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) April 15, 2024
L'évêque attaqué est Mari Mari Emmanuel, de l'Église assyrienne d'Australie
Cet évêque orthodoxe est devenu célèbre pour son opposition ouverte aux mesures du COVID, aux confinements, aux francs-maçons et à l’agression israélienne contre la #Palestine#Gaza#Attentat#terrorisme https://t.co/MDfKjxVUUs pic.twitter.com/eWdnFhswfi
— Axe De La Resistance🇵🇸 – Palestine / Gaza 🇵🇸 (@axe_resistance) April 15, 2024
🔴#Attaque probablement #terroriste contre l'évêque MarI Mari Emmanuel de l'Église assyrienne d'#Australie, lors d'une cérémonie religieux à #Sydney🔴
🇵🇸🇮🇷🇱🇧🇮🇶🇸🇾🇾🇪
🆔Axe_de_la_Resistance – Palestine🇵🇸https://t.co/HufELXUrtjhttps://t.co/MXnstxHIux pic.twitter.com/Oh71Kpf8gb— Axe De La Resistance🇵🇸 – Palestine / Gaza 🇵🇸 (@axe_resistance) April 15, 2024
Sydney priest Mari Mari Emmanuel was attacked during a sermon. He was praying for children in Gaza!
Let's pray for Mari Mari Emmanuel🤲🏻💔
#MarmariEmanuel #stabbing pic.twitter.com/gSNiyYlesb
— Aftab🇵🇸 (@Aaftab258) April 15, 2024
