The Right Reverend Prakash Yuhanna, Bishop of Pakistan for the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, recently visited Christ the King Church in Peachtree City. Bishop Yuhanna oversees a network of churches most of which operate discreetly behind closed and locked doors in the Muslim nation.

Bishop Yuhanna served as a Roman Catholic priest for a number of years prior to becoming involved in the Charismatic Episcopal Church.

The 48-year-old prelate is married with two young children.

Although he seldom speaks of the difficulty of being a Christian in an Islamic nation, Yuhanna bears the scars of his faith on his body, says Rev. David Epps, rector at Christ the King.

Several years ago, Yuhanna witnessed a Christian being attacked by Muslim fundamentalists. When he intervened, the men turned their anger on him. He was beaten, his throat was slashed and Yuhanna was thrown into a river to die. He was pulled from the water as he floated downstream and survived the attack.

Eventually, Yuhanna would come to the United States for further education. While in the states, he was offered positions of ministry but, sensing that his country “had need of the gospel,” he returned to minister and plant churches. Several of the secret house churches are quite large as the church continues to flourish under the most difficult of circumstances.

While at Christ the King, Bishop Yuhanna presented the congregation with a flag of Pakistan and requested prayer for his country. He also presented a plaque of appreciation to the congregation for their past and continuing support and prayers. Fr. Epps presented the bishop with a green liturgical stole and chasuble, symbols of priestly Eucharistic ministry and authority.

Bishop Yuhanna is the fourth bishop to visit Christ the King in the congregation's three-year history.

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