Controversial Sydney Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel stabbed at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley during livestream church service, 3-4 worshippers also stabbed.
A Christian leader who has previously curried controversy has been stabbed during a live-stream church sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the in the Wakeley area of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Assyrian Bishop H.G. Mar Mari Emmanuel was performing a live sermon which was being broadcast to his more than 200,000 YouTube followers when a man dressed in black approached him and proceeded to repeatedly stab him.
The unprovoked attack occurred on Monday just on 7pm local time.
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel who was on the @PBDsPodcast 4 months ago was stabbed multiple times in Sydney, Australia.
It happened Monday night around 7pm at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church during a LIVE stream.
— Valuetainment Media (@ValuetainmentTV) April 15, 2024
No known motive
Broadcast footage shows Bishop Emmanuel looking up in astonishment as the un-identified attacker suddenly strikes him repeatedly along his face and head.
Horrified screams can be heard as other worshippers rushed to the bishop’s aid as he fell to the floor.
Preliminary reports tell of at least three-four others also allegedly being stabbed in the ensuing tussle to get the attacker to stop. The attacker was successfully restrained and arrested and was assisting police amid inquiries.
It remained unclear what instrument the controversial church leader was stabbed with.
Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number of people were stabbed.
The injured persons suffered non-life threatening injuries and are being treated by NSW ambulance paramedics.
Sydney’s Liverpool Hospital – where Bishop Emmanuel is reportedly being treated – is said to be in lockdown.
Sydney on edge after Bondi mass stabbing
The church stabbing attack comes just over 48 hours after six people were murdered in Westfield Bondi Junction by a mentally unhinged knifeman.
Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed five women and a male security guard to death and injured several others before he was gunned down by a police officer.
A spokesperson for NSW Police said Bishop Emmanuel suffered ‘non-life threatening injuries’.
‘Officers arrested a male and he is assisting police with inquiries,’ the spokesperson added.
Bishop Emmanuel has a large flock on social media, with over 17,000 followers on Facebook.
He gained notoriety during the pandemic when he slammed Sydney’s Covid lockdown as ‘mass slavery’ and claimed vaccines are futile because living ‘normally’ will boost immunity.
Monday’s attack comes as Sydneysiders remain on edge following the sudden violence in the normally safe city.
Joel Cauchi’s dad, Andrew Cauchi, told reporters that his son, who battled with mental illness, had come off anti-psychotic medication shortly before unleashing terror on his victims.
He said: “To you he is a monster. To me, he was a very sick boy.”
On Sunday, Andrew and Cauchi’s mum Michele described their son’s actions as “truly horrific”.
Four people who were injured during the violent rampage have been discharged from hospital, as another eight continue to receive care – some in serious conditions.
Cauchi was known to police before the attack for mental health-related matters.
He is said to have lived with schizophrenia and used drugs including methamphetamine and psychedelics.
He posted an advertisement online mid-last year offering his services as a male escort in which he presented himself as an ‘athletic good looking 39-year-old guy’.
