The identity of the masked gunman is not yet known, but the number of threats against Fr. Sysoyev that already existed because of his work among Muslims is itself noteworthy. And Russian prosecutors are also proceeding with the theory that "religious motives" are behind the murder.
"Russian Priest Gunned Down in Church," by Alexander Marquardt for ABC News, November 20 (thanks to all who sent this in):
A Russian Orthodox priest known for his missionary work among Muslims was gunned down in his Moscow church, Russian officials said Friday.
Thirty-four-year-old Daniil Sysoyev was shot at least four times at in the head and chest in the Church of St. Thomas by a masked gunman Thursday night, according to the Prosecutor General's Investigative Committee. The assailant also wounded the church's choirmaster, Vladimir Strelbitsky.
Sysoyev died on the way to the hospital. Strelbitsky is in critical condition.
"The main theory is that religious motives are behind the crime," a prosecutor's office spokesman told reporters.
Sysoyev routinely denounced Islam and actively reached out to Muslims and various religious sects to convert them. In a recent interview with a Russian newspaper, Sysoyev boasted that he had baptized 80 Muslims.
But with his ambitious missionary work came death threats.
"They've threatened to cut my head off 14 times," Sysoyev told Komsomolskaya Pravda in the interview. "The FSB [Federal Security Service] got in touch with me a year ago to say they had uncovered a murder plot against me."
He told a television interviewer in February 2008 that he considered it a sin not to preach to Muslims, according to the Interfax news agency.
Sysoyev was originally from the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, where a large majority of the population is Muslim. He published books titled "An Orthodox Response to Islam" and "Marrying a Muslim," which criticized the faith and drew fierce responses from Muslim organizations.
'No Reason to Kill'
Russia's Council of Muftis strongly denounced the murder Friday, saying differences should be worked out in a civilized way....
Russia's Council of Muftis strongly denounced the murder Friday, saying differences should be worked out in a civilized way....if anyone is watching.
And this happened *right in Moscow*. Moscow, like many other European cities, has seen a huge influx of Muslims in the past ten or twenty years.
more:
'No Reason to Kill'
Russia's Council of Muftis strongly denounced the murder Friday, saying differences should be worked out in a civilized way....
........................
Actually, many Muslims consider preaching to Muslims, or doing anything to lead to their conversion out of Islam, that it is perfectly permissible to to murder both the apostate and the non-Muslims who led to their conversion.
And the killer was not the first to threaten the good father:
"They've threatened to cut my head off 14 times"
Once upon a time, Christians would have hailed Daniil Sysoyev a martyr.
Once upon a time...
Where does it say he will mot be regarded as a martyr in the Russian Orthodox Church?
Read this from a Rusian source please:
"Moscow, November 20, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has extended condolences over the death of Orthodox priest Daniil Sysoyev.
"Father Daniil was widely known both among the Orthodox Christians of Moscow and a large number of other dioceses. His hard work to preach God's Word and to promote the Christian faith among people, as well as his care about the spiritual needs of the youth won him the respect of his fellow priests and representatives of society," Patriarch Kirill said in his address to Fr. Daniil's family and friends.
"People looking for the road to God will remember Father Daniil for his uncompromising position as a missionary and vivid and emotional words full of a profound faith in God," the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said.
Patriarch Kirill wished the family and friends of the murdered priest spiritual strength and courage.
I am not a member of the Russian Orthodox Church; I was baptised Presbyterian and currently attend an Anglican church.
Nevertheless: I give thanks to God for the faith and courage of His faithful servant, Father Daniil, evangelist, confessor and martyr of the Church in Russia.
I like his style - "He told a television interviewer in February 2008 that he considered it a sin not to preach to Muslims".
Let's spread his story far and wide. We need many, many more Christian leaders of all backgrounds, all over the world, to consider it a sin *not* to preach to Muslims. And it sounds like Fr Daniil's style of preaching was as 'take-no-prisoners' as that used by Fr Zakaria Botros: tell the truth in love; no flattery, no grovelling, no soft soap, no pussyfooting around. Tough love.
I hope that his martyrdom will result in through-the-roof sales for his books all across the Russian Federation.
Hey: where is the Russophile in the West who will arrange to translate Fr Daniil's books into English and French and Spanish, for the benefit of Western Christians? They sound interesting. The one on 'Marrying a Muslim' sounds like it would make an excellent companion piece for Rosemary Sookhdeo's 'Stepping into the Shadows', which covers the same subject (Rosemary and her husband Canon Patrick Sookheo, himself an apostate from Islam to Christianity, have been spending a lot of time, lately, around the churches, warning Christians of the fact that Muslims are conducting a conscious campaign aimed at duping Christian girls into marrying Muslim men).
Seems to me that what is needed is a swap. Fr Daniil's books get translated and distributed in English, French and Spanish. Meanwhile: Dr Mark Durie's useful little handbook 'Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God? Jesus, Holy Spirit, God in Christianity and Islam' (which beautifully exposes, in language a high-school student can understand, the bottomless gulf between Biblical faith and Islam), and Mr Spencer's books (in particular, 'The Truth About Muhammad') and Nonie Darwish on Sharia, 'Cruel and Usual Punishment', should be translated into Russian.
May the true and living God raise up an army of Fr Daniils to lovingly and boldly continue proclaiming the Gospel to Muslims both within the Russian Federation and beyond its borders!
All Christians who in the Russian Federation are engaged in evangelism to Muslims, should be prayerfully and generously supported by Christians in the West.
DA--
Thank you for your thoughts regarding Father Daniil as well as expressing the need for more of his ilk in the clergy at large. Right now we in the US get to fight the annual Catholic Campaign for Human Development's up-and-coming November 22nd second collection. An organization that supports the culture of death under the PC guise of Social Justice. Everything gets redefined in new-speak.
Good idea on the cross-translations. My skill is not up to the level, but I know someone whose is. What about that companion piece to Thomas A'Kempis "My Imitation of Christ"? Perhaps SaleemSmith might undertake that for us. Mr. Smith has some concrete postings (see the comments from Mr. Spencer's and Mr. Umar Lee's exchange) that seem to indicate he could successfully undertake a version of "My Immitation of Mohammad" with the right emphasis to clearly highlight the difference between WWJD and WWMD.
I'm a Russian convert to Islam (formerly). This event struck tome to the extent that I decided to give up practicing the religion that I feel no longer connected but rather opposed to because it appears to be more of a political system than a religion. The reason for that was mainly in the lectures of the deceased Daniil Sysoev that are available on the Youtube, even though only in Russian unfortunately. I have already ordered the book "Marrying a Muslim". I believe our society should consoloidate to oppose undesired implementations of Shari'a rulings for Non-Muslims, especially when it comes to killings of prominent religious leaders.
If only Russian society cared, this act would already have consequences for those swines who did it.
Russia has a bigger Muslim problem than they will ever admit to.....
Note to the muslims,
This is how a real martyr is created. He did not kill others with the promise of gifts of any type. He didn't kill others because the tenents of his belief commanded him to do so. He merely, and peacefully, followed his convictions, even under constant threat of death, and was then killed. May Fr. Sysoyev rest in peace knowing he did his best to follow the teachings of Christ.
Of course they murdered him ! What other recourse did they have. The Koran dictated it and the brainwashed hordes of Islam have no time (in between banging thier heads on the floor) to do anything else but to murder, persecute and preach the superiority of thier death cult. He was probably murdered by an apostate who had second thoughts.
Father Sysoyev was martyred for teaching the gentle faith of Jesus amongst the heathen Mohamedans. All missionary work to teach Christ's love to Muslims is a mandatory death sentence by the cult of death for the missionaries. Sharia law demands it, and the barbaric heathens are eager to comply with delivering this death. Missionary work within Islam today is more dangerous than it was among the cannibals of yore.
Christian:
I will die for what I believe. (No killing of others involved)
Muslim:
You will die for what I believe. (Killing of one or multiple others involved)
Fr. Daniel's latest blog post:
"I have news again. You will laugh, but today Muslims once again promised to kill me. Now directly via phone. But I am getting bored with it, this is 14th time. I get used to it and I am not afraid.
Anyway, please pray. Everything is in God's hands. Even if something happens I will go directly to heaven - that's not bad!"
Dear Russo-turisto
welcome to this forum. Please tell other Russians about Jihadwatch! Even if their English is poor, they will be most welcome. You will find that many people here are well aware of what Russian non-Muslims have, in the past, suffered from Muslims; and that while we remember New York City, September 11 2001, we also keep a special place in our hearts for the children and families of Beslan who were put through hell by Muslims.
We are very glad that you have escaped from the Ummah and that Fr Daniel's preaching and teaching helped you to do that. God bless you!
There are other escapees from Islam who post here quite often. There is 'Bosch Fawstin' who was born and brought up in a Muslim family but, as a young man, living in the USA, chose to leave Islam - it meant he had to flee from his family and go it alone. He now does brilliant anti-jihad cartoons and a graphic novel. And there is 'Saleem Smith', a Canadian who, like you, converted to Islam but then (also like you) found out how awful it was and got himself out again, pronto. We have had others who have visited along the way.
I nominate Fr Daniel Sysoyev as a candidate for the Jihadwatch Anti-Dhimmi (Internationale) Award, 2009. To be awarded posthumously, alas; but his books and youtube presentations will continue to circulate in Russia and, one hopes, may inspire others in that country to resist Jihad and Sharia.