The Assyrian bishop who was attacked at an Australian church earlier this week said that he was “doing fine” and told his attacker: “You’re my son, and you’ll always be in my prayers.”
In what Australian police called a terrorist attack, a 16-year-old entered Christ the Good Shepherd Church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeley during a liturgy on the evening of 15 April and stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, a leader in the Assyrian Church of the East.
New South Wales police have the suspect in custody, but his identity has not been released due to laws protecting minor offenders.
The attack on Emmanuel was inadvertently live-streamed on his YouTube channel and came in the wake of a mass stabbing at a shopping mall in the city’s Bondi area on Saturday.
Fr Isaac Royel and other church members were also injured during the attack in their attempts to protect the bishop.
In a video announcement from Christ the Good Shepherd Church, Fr Daniel Kochou confirmed that Emmanuel endured “non-life-threatening injuries” and is “stable”.
Emmanuel said in the parish announcement, posted to YouTube, that “we need to be always thankful to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth for whatever trials and tribulations we go through”.
“We are carrying the cross,” he said. “Let us not forget that at all.”
Speaking from his hospital bed, Emmanuel confirmed that he is “recovering very quickly” and said that “there is no need to be worried or concerned”.
“For this young man, I say to you, you’re my son, and you’ll always be in my prayers,” he said, speaking to his attacker. “May the Lord Jesus forgive you, may the Lord Jesus bless you and show you the way, my dear son.”
He continued: “I forgive whoever has done this act, and I say to him you are my son, I love you, and I will always pray for you. And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well.”
Emmanuel emphasised that he has “nothing in my heart but love for everyone”, noting that Jesus taught that Christians should love their neighbours as themselves.
Shortly after the stabbing, protesters gathered outside of Christ the Good Shepherd Church and began to riot, leading to some property damage and blocking the access of the emergency responders.
“The unfortunate events which took place outside the church caused unnecessary delays and threats to both victims, paramedics, and police,” Kochou said, noting that the church “does not condone” the activities that led to property damage, injuries, and delays in assistance.
“I need you to act Christ-like,” Emmanuel said. “The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight. The Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate. The Lord Jesus never said to us ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. The Lord Jesus said, ‘Never return evil with evil, but return evil with good.’”
“My beloveds, I want you to always be calm,” he continued. “We need to be always law-abiding citizens as well. We need to cooperate with the police…whether it be at a state level or federal level.”
“And once again, to our beloved faithful, we need to reflect Christ in our life,” Emmanuel said. “The Lord Jesus never said go out and fight on the street…but to pray.
“We pray for our beloved country Australia and our beautiful city of Sydney,” he concluded. “We should never forget that we are very blessed to be Aussies. But above all we are Christians, and we need to act like it.”
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