An Assyrian Christian Bishop who was allegedly stabbed has made an emotional return to his pulpit to deliver a fiery sermon defending free speech while slamming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was allegedly attacked by a 16-year-old boy during a livestream of his sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney’s south-west on April 15 in horrifying scenes that shocked Australia and the world.
Less than a fortnight later, he received a standing ovation from parishioners as he returned to the altar on Sunday night to deliver a sermon for Palm Sunday, which is part of Orthodox Easter.
Sporting a white eyepatch over his right eye and carrying a gold cross, Bishop Emmanuel stood in the same place he was allegedly stabbed and began his service in Arabic.
Several days after he expressed his wishes for the footage of his alleged attack to remain online, the bishop called out Mr Albanese in an impassioned defence of freedom of speech and religion.
Bishop Emmanuel said that he cannot ‘fathom’ how freedom of speech could not be possible in a democratic country like Australia.
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured on Sunday night) has made an emotional return to Christ The Good Shepherd Church, less than a fortnight after he was rushed to hospital
On April 15, Bishop Emmanuel was allegedly stabbed by a 16-year-old. The attack triggered riots in the streets surrounding the church
‘I say to our beloved, the Australian government, and our beloved Prime Minister, the honourable Mr Albanese, I believe in one thing and that is the integrity and the identity of the human being,’ he said.
‘This human identity, this human integrity, is a God-given gift, no one else.
‘Every human being has the right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion… I should not worry for my life to be exposed to threat or to be taken away.’
He pointed out that Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Atheists had the right to express their beliefs.
‘Also the Christians have the right to express their beliefs, and for us to say, that free speech is dangerous, that free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country, I’m yet to fathom this,’ he continued.
‘We should be able as civilised human beings, as intellectuals, we should be able to criticise, to speak, and maybe, at some certain times, we may sound, or we may come across offensive to some degree, but we should be able to say, ‘I should not worry for my life to be exposed to threat or to be taken away’.
‘A non Christian can criticise my faith, can attack my faith. I will say one thing, ‘may God forgive you, and may God bless you.
‘This is a civilised way, an intellectual way, to approaching such events.
‘For us to say because of this freedom of speech, it is causing dramas and dilemmas therefore everything should be censored, where is democracy, where is humanity, where is integrity?’
Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured centre) gave the sermon for Orthodox Palm Sunday on Sunday evening, wearing an eye-patch over his right eye. he’s pictured during a standing ovation
Bishop Emmanuel had a message for his alleged attacker on Sunday night, having previously forgiven him.
‘I love you and I will always pray for you,’ he said.
Bishop Emmanuel became emotional as he thanked the many people who sent letters or flowers, including the multi-faith leaders from Sydney and overseas, as well as thanking local council members, local organisations and the Abdallah family.
He appeared to wipe tears away as he read through his long list of well wishers.
‘I am indebted to them for the rest of my life, forever,’ he said.
Church priest Father Isaac Royel was also injured in the incident, which was later declared a terrorist attack.
Earlier in the day, Father Royel also returned to work when he joined the congregation for the Palm Sunday morning service.
Father Isaac Royel (pictured right after being released from hospital two days after the attack) also returned to the church for Sunday morning’s service
Secretary to the Bishop Daniel Kochou said although Father Royel is back, he wasn’t sure if he will return full-time, The Daily Telegraph reported.
‘People are a little shaken but the other thing is most of our people are Iraqi or Syrian born so they’re used to conflict. Their faith is strong,’ he said.
The church released an 11-minute video of Bishop Emmanuel on Thursday calling for the footage of his attack to remain online.
This was after Australia’s eSafety commissioner Julie Inman-Grant told X and Meta to take down the footage.
‘I do acknowledge the Australian government’s desire to have the videos removed because of their graphic nature,’ Bishop Emmanuel said.
‘It would be of great concern if people used the attack on me to serve their own political interest to control free speech.’
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