Bishop Mari Mari Emmanuel, one of the most influential leaders in the Orthodox world, was stabbed repeatedly during a livestream yesterday at his Christ the Good Shepherd church in Sydney. While the Bishop was leading mass, an unknown assailant approached the pulpit, pulled out a large blade and began the assault while screaming “allahu akbar.” Several parishioners rushed to his aid and detained the attacker, saving the bishops life while getting lacerated in the process. Currently Bishop Mari Mari is recovering in hospital and no injuries involved in this attack are said to be life-threatening. The event has set off shockwaves throughout Sydney and the Christian world.
WHO IS BISHOP MARI MARI?
Bishop Mari Mari was born Emmanuel Rehana Yosip, to a Christian home in Iraq in 1958. After moving to the United States, he began his official service in Assyrian Church of the East. In Chicago he first became a deacon in 1981 and then priest in 1984. In 1990 Mari was consecrated as the Bishop of Canada and given the title Mar Emmanuel Yosip. In Aramaic, Mar can roughly be translated as “lord” while the title Moran is reserved for Jesus alone. What many may not know about Mari is that he is also a scholar, receiving his doctorate in Syriac Studies from the university of Toronto in 2015. During the pandemic his short videos giving bold Christian warnings on global corruption went viral and in 2024 he was promoted to Metropolitan Bishop of Australia and New Zealand
WHY THE ATTACK AND WHAT HAPPENED AFTER?
The assailant has yet to be identified but that his motivation was Islamic terror appears to be clear. Photos of the attacker while being detained show a sinister smile on the man’s face.
https://x.com/aussiecossack/status/1779827456909975571
Shortly after the attack there were hundreds, if not thousands, gathered in the area in support of the bishop. Clashes with police were ongoing as many were calling for revenge on the assailant. In some videos posted on social media you can hear people crying “eye for an eye” and chanting “bring him out!” The mobs threw bricks and other projectiles at police. I’m not sure if the bishop would agree to this kind of revenge given the context of that verse in the New Testament. As Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also.” Matthew 5:38-39.
We at The Right Story pray for a full recovery for the bishop, and we pray that God’s name would be lifted higher through the endurance of his servant. Many in the Western world may not be used to this kind of violence towards Christians but throughout history we know that events like this only create revival not terror. We also pray for the hearts of the people who support the bishop would be drawn closer to what Scripture says about loving our enemies.
*We have chosen not to link to the video of this shameful attack which is currently going viral because we do not want to glorify this heinous act. We encourage others to do the same. We included media of the attacker’s smile to display the spirit which was at work in him and educate others.