South Africa: Three Coptic monks killed

Father Takla Moussa, Father Minah Marcus, and Father Youstos Marcus

Source: Coptic Church media

Three Coptic monks were killed on Wednesday night in the monastery of Saint Mark and Saint Samuel the Confessor monastery, in Cullinan, a small town 30km from Pretoria, South Africa.

A church statement said: "This brutal incident resulted in martyrdom of our Assistant Bishop and Abbot of Saint Mark and Saint Samuel the Confessor, Proto-priest Father Takla Moussa, Father Minah ava Marcus and Father Youstos ava Marcus.

"One Egyptian, Coptic Orthodox Church member was apprehended by the police as a possible suspect on this case.

"The Egyptian Embassy has called upon all Coptic Orthodox Church members, both South Africans and Egyptians to allow the law to take its own course, not to interfere with South African Police Services (SAPS) in its investigations. He further called upon everyone not to preempt the outcomes of the investigations. He called for calm and passed condolences to the Coptic Orthodox Church for their loss and to the families of the deceased.

"On behalf of South African people, Africans, black in particular, who loved Father Takla Moussa, whom we had hoped and were wishing that His Holiness and Pope was going to ordain him for us as our Bishop, this is a great loss for us. We will never find a father like Father Takla Moussa, that loved and served us unconditionally for about 20 years since he has been in South Africa.

"On behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Bishop Anba Antonious Markos of Archdiocese of South Africa, the South African priests (proto-priest Fr Athanasius Makalima, proto-priest Fr Paul Khobe, Fr Johannes Maluleke, Fr Petros Khobe, Fr David Tshidiso Maruping, Fr Samuel ava Markos, Fr Shenouda Mhlungu, Fr Kryllos Mhlungu and Fr Raphael Mbatha), the deacons, how can we forget the twins, the right and left handmen as he used to call them, Deacon Joseph Makai and Deacon John Lethoba; and the congregation, both South Africans and Egyptians, we are passing condolences to the families and friends of the three monk priests.

"Our pain and sadness, no amount of words can express, but we know that they rejoice in paradise in the bosom of our Fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5 NKJV"

The leader of the Coptic Church Pope Tawadros II, said he is closely following all the details of this incident, waiting to be informed about its causes", while the Coptic community expresses "its profound anguish" for what happened.

Archbishop Angaelos in London posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Saddening and shocking news received of the murder of three monks in our Coptic Orthodox Monastery of St Mark and St Samuel the Confessor in Johannesburg, South Africa today.... Further details are awaited. In this holy Lenten period we pray repose for our departed brothers, and comfort for our Coptic Orthodoxy community in South Africa, their brother monks, and their families and loved ones."