SYDNEY — Horrified worshipers watched on-line and in particular person as a bishop was stabbed on the altar throughout a church service in Sydney on Sunday night, and three others have been stabbed as individuals rushed to assist. Police mentioned there have been no life-threatening wounds, and a person was arrested.

A whole lot of offended individuals hurried to the Orthodox Assyrian church and a few clashed with riot police, with automobiles broken. The church and native leaders pleaded for calm. “A big police response is underway and the general public is urged to keep away from the realm,” police mentioned.

The Christ the Good Shepherd in suburban Wakely streams sermons on-line, and a video on social media reveals a person wearing black approaching a cleric recognized because the bishop and showing to stab him repeatedly within the head and higher physique.

Members of the congregation are seen screaming and speeding to cease it. The church recognized the bishop as Mar Mari Emmanuel.

Authorities didn’t instantly report a motive for the assault. Australians have been nonetheless in shock after a lone assailant stabbed six individuals to dying in a Sydney shopping center on Saturday and injured greater than a dozen others. There was no speedy indication the 2 stabbings have been linked.

Police requested the media not disclose the place the person arrested had been taken, apparently to keep away from additional protests.

The church in a message on social media mentioned the bishop and a senior priest, Isaac Royel, have been in steady situation at a hospital and requested for individuals’s prayers. “It’s the bishop’s and father’s needs that you simply additionally pray for the perpetrator,” the church’s assertion mentioned. “We additionally kindly ask anybody on the church premises to depart in peace.”

The NSW Ambulance service mentioned it handled a person in his 50s for a number of cuts and three others have been handled for a number of cuts.

The premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, described the scenes as “disturbing” on social media and urged the neighborhood to stay calm and “stick collectively.” Spiritual leaders expressed shock and condolences.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone, chief of the neighboring municipal authorities, described the bishop as a neighborhood chief. “It is a very emotional scenario. Clearly the neighborhood may be very upset,” Carbone advised Sky Information.

Christ the Good Shepherd had been making ready for Palm Sunday later this month.

The bishop, described in native media as a determine generally seen as divisive on points corresponding to COVID-19 restrictions, was featured in nationwide information final 12 months.

A video posted in Could 2023 by the Australian Broadcasting Company a few marketing campaign concentrating on the LGBTQ+ neighborhood confirmed the bishop in a sermon saying that “when a person calls himself a lady, he’s neither a person nor a lady, you aren’t a human, then you’re an it. Now, since you’re an it, I cannot deal with you as a human anymore as a result of it isn’t my selecting, it your selecting.”