The news of the attack on the Bishop of the Syriac Rite of the East, Mar Mari Emanuel, spread like wildfire all over the world. While Bishop Emanuel was leading a meeting in a church in Sydney, a sixteen-year-old youth attacked the bishop and a number of people present. Because this meeting was being live-streamed, the video of the attack spread and in a short time a large crowd gathered in front of the church where the attack took place, a crowd so large that the police began to find it difficult to control it.
As soon as Bishop Emmanuel received the treatment he needed, he issued a short message so that people do not try to seek revenge. He declared immediately that he forgives whoever did that act. He continued, “… and I always pray for you. And whoever sent you to do this, I also forgive them in Jesus’ mighty name.”
In addition to the young man who carried out this attack, in the past few days the police arrested five other people suspected of preparing to carry out another similar attack.
Bishop Emmanuel also appealed for his community to remain calm and cooperate with the police after the crowd became undisciplined and injuries to the police on the spot resulted. “I want you to behave like Christ. The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight. The Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate.”
