- Three monks belonging to Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church were killed in an attack Tuesday at a monastery in South Africa.
- The attack occurred at the Monastery of Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor.
- The Coptic Orthodox Church identified the monks as the monk Hegumen Takla el-Samuely, the monk Yostos ava Markos and the monk Mina ava Markos.
Three monks belonging to Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church were killed in an attack at a monastery in South Africa on Tuesday, the church said.
They were murdered in the Monastery of Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor. The Coptic Orthodox Church, based in Egypt, named the monks as Monk Hegumen Takla el-Samuely, Monk Yostos ava Markos and Monk Mina ava Markos. All three were Egyptian citizens.
The Coptic Orthodox Church of South Africa said el-Samuely was the deputy of the South African diocese.
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Police said they were investigating a murder case and the motive for the attack was unknown. A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but police told the South African news website News24 that the three monks were stabbed.
Coptic Orthodox religious leaders from Egypt arrive for a meeting with Pope Francis on July 7, 2018 at the Pontifical Basilica of Saint Nicholas in southern Italy. Three monks belonging to Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church were killed in an attack at a monastery in South Africa on Tuesday, the church said. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
A fourth was injured after being hit with an iron bar, News24 said, quoting police colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.
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The Coptic Orthodox Church of South Africa said the monks were victims of “a criminal attack”, which resulted in their “martyrdom”.
The Egyptian ambassador to South Africa visited the monastery after the attack, he said.
The Coptic Church is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. The church has been the target of deadly attacks by Islamic militants in Egypt and elsewhere.
