What we know so far about the Christian leader attacked during service

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Emmanuel is a prominent leader of an ultra-conservative sect of the Assyrian Orthodox. He became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic for being critical of lockdowns and vaccines.

Often livestreaming his services on YouTube and social media, where he has hundreds of thousands of followers, he preached fire and brimstone and drew in radical Christians for his anti-LGBTQ sermons.

Other viral livestreams of his feature hardline views about American and Russian politics, as well claiming Satan founded the United Nations.

Speaking on Joe Biden’s US election win in one of his sermons posted to TikTok, Emmanuel said “100 per cent it was rigged by the secret societies”.

Emmanuel was ordained a priest in 2009 and a Bishop in 2011.

According to Christ The Good Shepherd Church’s website, Emmanuel travelled internationally for his bible teachings, including to Arizona in the US in December.

Emmanuel’s pastoral message on the website reads: “In our time and age, we believe the most important and fundamental insight is coming into the truth. The world bombards the human race with so much information, quite often we lose our orientation in discerning the lie from the truth.”

As well as hosting Emmanuel’s sermons, the Wakeley church hosts both English and Assyrian bible studies, Divine Liturgy services and youth ministries.

What happened outside the church after the stabbing?

Massive crowds formed as hundreds of police officers were deployed to the area, holding up shields to protect themselves from rioters as the sound of helicopters swarmed above.

As the unrest heightened, there was a large standoff across from Fairfield Showgrounds between police and protesters, some of whom threw objects across the intersection.

Police urged the public to avoid the area as they worked to “restore order” following the stabbing.

What is the Assyrian Orthodox religion?

The Assyrian Orthodox Church believes there is one eternally existing God who has three distinct parts: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

It was one of the earliest to separate with the Catholic Church regarding communion.

The Christ The Good Shepherd Church traces its missionary activity to the middle of the first century, with “historical documents showing [it was] firmly established by the middle of the second century of the Christian era”.

It is sometimes known as the “Nestorian Church”, the “Syrian Church” or the “Persian Church”.

The official language of its liturgies and writings is the ecclesiastical language, called the “East Syriac” or “Edessene” dialect – an adaption of the ancient Aramaic language.

Its central worship feature is its Holy Offering or Eucharist service, called “Qurbana Qaddisha”.