Three Coptic Orthodox monks victims of horrific murder in their monastery

This is a photo from the Facebook page of the three Egyptian Coptic monks of the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of South Africa who were brutally murdered March 12, 2024. According to a March 13 statement from the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the three slain was Father Takla Moussa, assistant bishop and abbot of St. Mark and St. Samuel the Confessor Monastery. The other two were identified as Fathers Minah ava Marcus and Youstos ava Marcus. The Facebook page did not give the order of the monks in the altered photo

Three Egyptian Coptic monks from the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of South Africa were brutally murdered on March 12 in their monastery in Cullinan, a small town in Gauteng province, located about 18 miles east of the capital, Pretoria.

As per a statement released on March 13 by the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the victims was Father Takla Moussa, who served as an assistant bishop and abbot of St. Mark and St. Samuel the Confessor Monastery.

The other two monks were identified as Fathers Minah ava Marcus and Youstos ava Marcus. The church described the incident as a criminal attack where an unknown assailant attacked the monks in the early hours of March 12, resulting in the deaths of the three monks, all of whom had stab wounds. A fourth monk was also injured in the attack.

"The Church expresses its deep sorrow over this tragic incident and extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the three monks," stated the Coptic Orthodox Church in a press release. "We are deeply grieved by this loss, and no words can adequately express our pain and sadness, but we take comfort in knowing that they are now rejoicing in paradise."

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but it underscores the ongoing challenges in the country, which faces high rates of violence. South Africa has recently witnessed sporadic and deadly xenophobic attacks against African and Asian foreign nationals, including refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants.

South Africa is home to 12 Orthodox churches, a school, and a training center, with 11 priests and 120 deacons serving over 15,000 members, comprising more than 4,500 families. Bishop Antonious Markos leads the South Africa Archdiocese.

A crucifix is pictured in a file photo as Coptic Christians pray in Cairo. In the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of South Africa, three Egyptian Coptic monks were brutally murdered March 12, 2024, in their monastery in Cullinan, a small town about 18 miles east of the capital, Pretoria.

Church officials highlighted Father Moussa's profound impact on the community, especially among the Black community in South Africa, expressing hope that he would have been ordained as their bishop.

The killings have sparked condemnation worldwide, with leaders expressing shock and sadness over the tragic deaths of the monks. The police have launched an investigation into the incident and have apprehended an Egyptian member of the Coptic Church as a suspect.

The Egyptian Embassy in South Africa has urged for calm and extended condolences to the Coptic Orthodox Church and the families of the deceased, urging both South Africans and Egyptians to allow the legal process to unfold.