The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church announced on Tuesday that three monks were murdered in a criminal attack in South Africa’s Saint Mark and Saint Samuel the Confessor Coptic Orthodox Monastery.
The church said in a statement that the three victims were hegomand monk Tekla Samueli, the representative of the Diocese of South Africa, the monk Justus Ava Marcos, and the monk Mina Ava Marcos.
The concerned authorities moved to the monastery and began their work to uncover the circumstances of the incident.
The Egyptian ambassador in Johannesburg also visited the monastery to follow up on the situation.
Pope Tawadros II is following closely all the details of the incident, and the outcomes of investigations.
The Church expressed its extreme pain at the incident, extending its condolences to the families of the three monks – confident that only God’s justice and mercy is able to provide solace and reveal the truth.
