Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel is a prominent leader of an ultra-conservative sect of the Assyrian Orthodox Church, known for his critical views on lockdowns and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a large following on YouTube and social media, he preaches fire and brimstone, drawing in radical Christians for his anti-LGBTQ sermons. Emmanuel has also shared hardline views on American and Russian politics, as well as claiming that Satan founded the United Nations. Ordained as a priest in 2009 and a Bishop in 2011, Emmanuel has travelled internationally for bible teachings, including visiting Arizona in the US in December. His pastoral message emphasizes the importance of discerning the truth from a world filled with information.
Following the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel outside the Christ The Good Shepherd Church, massive crowds gathered as hundreds of police officers were deployed to the area to restore order. There was a large standoff between police and protesters, leading to some throwing objects across the intersection. Police urged the public to avoid the area as they worked to contain the unrest. The incident occurred amidst a turbulent period, as it followed the Westfield Bondi Junction mass stabbings by a different attacker just two days prior.
The Assyrian Orthodox Church, to which Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel belongs, believes in one eternal God in three distinct parts – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This early Christian church separated from the Catholic Church over communion practices. The Christ The Good Shepherd Church, where Emmanuel is a leader, traces its missionary activities back to the first century and is also known as the “Nestorian Church” or the “Syrian Church”. The Assyrian Orthodox Church uses an ecclesiastical language known as the “East Syriac” or “Edessene” dialect for its liturgies, with the central worship feature being the Holy Offering or Eucharist service called “Qurbana Qaddisha”.
Leaders such as NSW Premier Chris Minns and Fairfield City Council deputy mayor Charbel Saliba have expressed their shock and concern following the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. Premier Minns urged the public to remain calm and obey authorities, emphasizing the importance of unity in times of adversity. Saliba, a close friend of Emmanuel for 25 years, recounted that the attacker was arrested by members of the congregation after the stabbing, with the bishop praying for the attacker’s salvation. Federal MP Dai Le, whose electorate includes the church, described Emmanuel as a wonderful leader of the Assyrian community, expressing shock at the incident occurring so soon after the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbings. The community is left stunned by the events that unfolded outside the church.
