In a shocking incident, an Australian bishop was brutally attacked while delivering his sermon on Monday evening. The incident occurred at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church where Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was addressing the congregation. An unidentified individual, clad in a black hoodie, approached the bishop and initiated a confrontation. Despite the bishop’s attempts to engage in conversation, the man proceeded to stab him multiple times in the face and neck.
The horrifying event was captured on video and posted online, showing the bishop falling to the ground as members of the congregation rushed to his aid. Bishop Emmanuel was immediately transported to a local hospital, though his current condition remains undisclosed.
In addition to the bishop, three other individuals sustained injuries during the incident. They were treated on-site for lacerations. The victims included men in their 30s, 20s, and 60s.
The assailant was apprehended and is currently in police custody. According to the New South Wales (NSW) police, the suspect is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The motive behind the attack, however, remains unclear.
Bishop Emmanuel has gained significant online attention in recent years due to his vocal criticism of COVID-19 restrictions. He has referred to lockdown measures as “mass slavery” and has publicly opposed vaccine mandates. In a 2021 sermon, he expressed his discontent, stating, “Are we humans? Because we are being treated like animals. They are encouraging people to go and take a vaccine and stay at home. They have had enough.”
This incident follows closely on the heels of another stabbing attack in Sydney, where a man wielding a knife attacked over a dozen people at a popular mall. The connection, if any, between these two violent incidents is yet to be established.