Three Egyptian Nationals Lost their Lives in a Chapel Located in South Africa
Three Egyptian Coptic monks were tragically killed in a monastery in South Africa, the Church has confirmed.
According to a statement from the South African Archdiocese of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Father Takla Moussa, Father Minah ava Marcus, and Father Youstos ava Marcus were brutally murdered in the early hours of Tuesday.
Authorities have arrested an Egyptian member of the Church as a potential suspect in connection with the killings.
The news of the murders has deeply shaken the Coptic Orthodox community in South Africa and beyond.
The tragic incident occurred at the Saint Mark and Saint Samuel the Confessor monastery situated in Cullinan, a small town located 30 km (18 miles) east of Pretoria, the capital city.
ALSO READ: Zimbabwean Man Jailed 226 Years In South Africa
According to provincial police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, all three monks were found with stab wounds. A survivor, who managed to escape, reported being assaulted with an iron rod before fleeing and hiding.
While investigations are ongoing, Col Nevhuhulwi stated that the motive for the killings is yet to be determined. She added that the perpetrators reportedly left the scene without taking any valuables.
South Africa is known for its high levels of violent crime, with one of the world’s highest murder rates.
Monks in the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest churches globally, dedicate their lives to prayer and spiritual growth.
