A BISHOP who was attacked during a live-streamed Mass in a church in Sydney has finally broken his silence.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has taken to social media with a video statement to tell his followers he has “forgiven” his attacker.
ReutersBishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was attacked by a teenager during a Mass[/caption]
EnterpriseBishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has now told his followers he is doing “fine”[/caption]
XThe teenage ‘terrorist’ was seen smirking as he was restrained by churchgoers[/caption]
Bishop Emmanuel has spoken from his hospital bed in Liverpool Hospital, where he has been recovering in the days since the attack.
In his video statement, the Bishop said: “I thank the Lord Jesus for what took place over the last couple of days.
“I am doing fine. I am recovering very quickly, we thank the Lord Jesus, so there is no need to be worried or concerned.”
Bishop Emmanuel added: “I have forgiven 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 in Jesus’ mighty name.
“I have nothing in my heart but love for everyone.”
Bishop Emmanuel also urged his followers to remain peaceful, and to stop the violence that had ensued over the last few days.
He said: “The Lord Jesus never told us to fight. The Lord Jesus never told 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.”
“I want you to always be calm. We need to always be law-abiding citizens. Above all, we are Christians, and we need to act like it.”
At least four people were stabbed just after 7pm on Monday night at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church.
Bishop Emmanuel was reportedly stabbed multiple times by a hooded teenager and was quickly rushed to hospital.
Police swooped in to arrest the sixteen-year-old boy and held him at the church after an angry mob congregated outside the church and demanded revenge.
Within hours the cops labelled the incident a “terrorist act motivated by suspected religious extremism”.
Members of the teen’s family have now gone into hiding after a violent riot shook Sydney – with thousands attacking riot police, throwing projectiles, and chanting “cut off his fingers”.
Although the Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir claimed on Wednesday that the suspected teen’s father had seen no signs of radicalism in his son.
Mr Kheir told Reuters: “He said other than him being rebellious to him… there were no signs. There were absolutely no signs to him.”
GettyNSW Forensic police seen at Christ The Good Shepherd Church on Tuesday[/caption]
GettyCops have been investigating the crime scene since the brutal attack[/caption]
ReutersFlowers are laid outside the church in support of Bishop Emmanuel[/caption]
Leave a comment
