SYDNEY – Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, who was stabbed during a church service live-streamed from Sydney on April 15, is a social media star with followers around the world, though he is also a divisive preacher.
Dressed in dark robes, clutching a large cross and sporting a bushy grey beard under a black cowl, Bishop Emmanuel’s sermons from the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church range from homilies on the Bible to fiery criticisms of homosexuality, Covid-19 vaccinations, Islam and US President Joe Biden’s election.
The 53-year-old bishop, who has a popular youth following on TikTok and was awarded by YouTube in 2023 for hitting 100,000 subscribers, has been a target of criticism, hate and online trolling.
On the night of April 15, a teenager stabbed him and other worshippers with a knife during a sermon at his church.
Footage posted online showed the attacker criticising Bishop Emmanuel’s comments about Islam while pinned to the ground by the congregation. Police said on April 16 it was a terrorist attack motivated by suspected religious extremism.
In some sermons posted online and shared widely, Bishop Emmanuel questions parts of Islamic theology, although in others he stresses his love for the Muslim community and how he regularly prays for them. In a recent post, he expressed support for Palestinians in Gaza.
“He’s not saying your religion is rubbish. He’s just proving them wrong and very well articulated to the point where it gets under their skin… The only way you can bring him down is through physical violence,” said 20-year-old Manuka, a resident who follows Bishop Emmanuel on TikTok.
In other sermons, Bishop Emmanuel took aim at the secular world, casting doubt on Mr Biden’s election, attacking his support for gay rights and urging Mr Biden’s rival, Donald Trump, to stay true to God and resist the influence of Freemasons.
Bishop Emmanuel’s popularity peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic because his sermons were online, according to Mary Anoya, 17, whose family attends his church. She, like the other students at her high school, prefers watching his sermons on TikTok.
“I think everyone follows him on TikTok,” said Mary.
“Ever since he started to become famous, his words just got twisted. I grew up knowing who he was. I know what type of person he is, and it’s all just taken out of context,” she said.
Residents who spoke to Reuters said the violent outrage that followed the attack on Bishop Emmanuel, which saw an angry crowd throw rocks and bricks at police, reflected fears about religious persecution by many in the community that is popular with Christians from Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon, some of whom fled their homeland because of their faith.
“We’ve been persecuted for generations,” said Chris, who asked for his last name not to be used for fear of retribution.
“Enough is enough. A priest can’t be touched. I’m not speaking about retaliation, but the Australian government must play a role, so no persecution is tolerated.” REUTERS
