Sydney church stabbing: Bishop attacked during sermon

A bishop and several other people have been stabbed during a sermon in Sydney that was being streamed online. The incident happened on Monday evening at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the suburb of Wakeley.

Police responded to reports that a number of people had been stabbed but said none of their injuries were life-threatening.

A man has been arrested and taken to an undisclosed location, police said.

Following the attack large crowds gathered outside the church, with unverified footage posted online appearing to show some attacking the building and emergency service vehicles. Police said “a large police response is under way and the public is urged to avoid the area.”

The bishop who was attacked was named by local media as Mar Mari Emmanuel. His identity was later confirmed by the church, which is Eastern Orthodox. Or more accurately Australian Assyrian Church of the East, alternatively Syriac (NOT Syrian) Orthodox. Bishop Emmanuel was born in Baghdad. 

The church said in a statement that a priest, Father Isaac, was also injured. Both were taken to hospital.

The Bishop has spoken his mind in the past. He protested the very stern Australian lockdown pleading the case for a more normal life and  natural immunity and he has spoken in support of Israel.  

There are several video clips of the events inside the church on line. The service was a mass in preparation for Palm Sunday which, as you will know, Easter is celebrated a few weeks later in the Eastern churches than in the West. It was being live streamed as many churches including my own continue to do as a way of including the elderly, infirm and otherwise unable to attend.

An attack on a priest has just been captured on a live stream at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley. pic.twitter.com/s17sHHHVw7

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 15, 2024

I can hear screams but not the shout of Allah Akbar claimed by others, at that stage. However one of the men in the congregation who tackled him and held him down until the police took over said to a local reporter, @Chriscoveries, that he could hear the assailant saying it, presumably as he was held securely. Others report mention of ‘his prophet, Mohammed’ but I have no link to provide evidence. @Chriscoveries is mindful of his copyright to the interview but you can watch it on his own X account here. 

Left a screenshot of the attackers face; that definitely isn’t a nice smirk. 

Reports differ as to how much trouble around the church there is. The congregation are understandably angry and upset. We of the Anglican church could use a little more assertivness sometimes.