Church member arrested for murder of 3 Coptic monks in South Africa
A member of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church in South Africa, who was also a monk in training, has been arrested for the murder of three beloved and longtime monks at a monastery in Cullinan, near Pretoria, on Tuesday.
The arrest comes just hours after the Coptic Orthodox Church of South Africa announced the deaths of Assistant Bishop Father Takla Moussa, Father Minah ava Marcus and Father Youstos ava Marcus in a statement on Facebook.
“Today, three monks were subjected to a criminal attack in our Coptic monastery of Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor in Johannesburg, South Africa,” the church said in a statement on Tuesday.
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A source quoted by Times Live said the monks were found stabbed to death and a 35-year-old church member who was on probation to become a Coptic monk had been arrested for their deaths.
“He is an Egyptian brother in the probation to be a monk and when police did investigations there was no external and forceful entry into the monastery, indicating what happened took place internally,” the source said.
Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the arrest of the suspect who is set for a court hearing on Thursday.
Nevhuhulwi noted in addition to the three murdered monks, a fourth victim who was hit on his hand with an iron rod survived the attack by hiding in a room at the church.
“The motive of the murders is unknown,” she said.
The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church did not share a motive for the killings but called Moussa’s murder “a great loss for us.”
“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,” the church told Times Live.
“The Church expresses its deep anguish over the occurrence of such a tragic incident, extends its sincere condolences to the families of the three monks, and is full of confidence that only the merciful and just God is able to grant comfort and reveal the truth,” the Facebook statement from the church added.
The Northeast American Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church also shared their condolences in a statement on Facebook.
“On behalf of our Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos and all the clergy and faithful of the Northeast American Diocese, we offer our sincere condolences to our sister Coptic Orthodox Church, as they mourn the loss of three of their monks, namely: Monk Hegumen Takla El-Samuely (deputy of the Diocese of South Africa), Monk Yostos Ava Markos, Monk Mina Ava Markosat,” the diocese said. “May their memories be eternal and may God grant them the crown of Martyrdom!”
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