A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a mass in south-west Sydney.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off.

The church leader gained prominence during the Covid pandemic, amassing a large online following,

A police operation is under way in Wakeley, after reports of a stabbing.

Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number of people were stabbed.

Officers arrested a male and he is assisting police with inquiries.

The injured people suffered non-life threatening injuries and are being treated by NSW ambulance paramedics.

The community is urged to avoid the area.

The bishop and several other people have been stabbed during a sermon in Sydney that was being streamed online, local media report.

It was not immediately clear what weapon was used in the attack, which is reported to have happened at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church.

The stabbing comes days after six people were killed at a shopping mall in the same city. The attacker was later shot dead by a police officer. Sydney shopping mall stabbing

There is no suggestion that the two events are linked.