A bishop who was stabbed during a live-streamed church service in Sydney prayed for his alleged attacker moments after he was wounded.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, an incident broadcast on the church’s live stream.
His alleged attacker, a 15-year-old boy dressed all in black, was seen approaching and stabbing the bishop several times in the head and upper body at the altar as parishioners screamed and ran to the cleric’s aid.
In a surprising twist, Cumberland City Council Councilor Steve Christou confirmed that Bishop Mar Mari was praying for this alleged attacker.
“It just shows the remarkable courage of a man and the forgiveness he has within him to pray for his alleged attacker,” he told Channel Seven’s Matt Doran on Tuesday.
After the attack, an angry mob of about 2,000 gathered near the church, riots broke out and police struggled to maintain order.
Cr Christou said the majority of people who turned up at the church were supportive of the “beloved” bishop’s welfare.
‘However, the actions of a few are not representative of the community and the people of western Sydney,” he said.
‘I only ask for calm, peace, to show forgiveness. “This is a time for the community to come together and let love, peace and unity triumph over hate.”
It comes as police confirmed the attacker was known to police.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel stabbed at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley – an incident broadcast on the church’s live stream (pictured)
A 15-year-old boy known to police has been arrested over the incident (he is pictured being held down by at least three people before police arrived on the scene).
Police said the boy had serious injuries to his hand amid rumors that his finger was cut off during the melee. Officers had to barricade themselves inside the church with the boy for several hours while the violence continued outside.
“Reports are that he has injuries to his hands; I don’t know the extent of those injuries at this time,” Acting NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Holland told media.
He added: “His injuries are quite serious to his hand, he is quite upset and quite distressed.”
He has been transferred to an undisclosed location where he remains under police surveillance.
During the pandemic, Bishop Mar Mari gained notoriety for his criticism of vaccines and lockdowns and for his belief that Covid “was just another kind of flu.”
Their pastoral message on the website reads: ‘In our time, we believe that the most important and fundamental insight is to reach the truth.
“The world bombards the human race with so much information that we often lose our bearings in discerning lies from truth.”
Bishop Mar Mari is a respected leader of an ultra-conservative sect of the Assyrian Orthodox who has gained thousands of followers through his livestreams.
In addition to his criticism of anti-coronavirus measures, he also criticized American and Russian policy, going so far as to claim that the United Nations was founded by Satan.
The popular bishop was
More to come.