By Proto Thema –
What fifteen centuries of continuous operation of the Holy Monastery of Sinai could not bring about, nor dozens of conquerors, the Egyptian state is now attempting to do through a court ruling that effectively confiscates both the property and the historic building of the Monastery, leading to its closure.
This concerns the Holy Monastery that is the only Christian monument which the Prophet Muhammad himself sought to protect. His Achtiname (a covenant), which is preserved in the Monastery’s library and bears the imprint of his palm as a seal, grants privileges to the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Sinai.
The effort to “evict” the Monastery from Sinai has a history of at least 10 years, as it has been targeted by the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Egyptian “nationalists” who resented the prestige and global reach of a living Orthodox Christian monument in the heart of the Sinai Peninsula.
The latest development, with the court decision (May 28) that effectively strips the Monastery of all its property—including the church itself and the building—constitutes a profound insult and provocation not only to the entire Christian world but also to the international community. The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Sinai is one of the most prominent Monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the same time, a major issue arises in Greek-Egyptian relations, since President Sisi, during his visit to Athens, had, together with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, welcomed the agreement that had been reached to prevent such a development and to resolve the legal dispute that had been ongoing against the Monastery since 2015.
According to reports, as early as the end of 2024, following political-level consultations with Cairo, a Greek delegation visited Egypt and a settlement was approved between Archbishop Damianos and the Egyptian state. According to this agreement, legal appeals would be dropped, and the Monastery’s ownership rights would be recognized, with the obligation to cooperate with Egypt’s Antiquities Authority for the protection of the monuments.
This agreement was publicly welcomed in Athens by Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Sisi, with the Greek side awaiting the finalization of the process with the signature of the settlement by Egypt’s Ministry of Justice. Instead, yesterday a court decision was issued, which Cairo did not even bother to officially communicate to or inform Athens about.
This (recent) move by Cairo must be addressed at the highest political level, with simultaneous mobilization of UNESCO and the EU, and a message must be sent that it will negatively impact the bilateral relations of the two countries.
Certainly, Egypt’s response will also determine its credibility, and Athens will draw important conclusions about the extent to which it can rely on assurances from Cairo in the future, especially on other major issues in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to unofficial church sources, the court ruling declares that all property of the Monastery belongs to the Egyptian state, while the monks are only granted the right… to remain in the Monastery.
In this way, Egypt is attempting to erase a 15-century-long history, treating the Monastery as a mere “dead” monument, ignoring the fact that it is not only a site of global cultural heritage but also an active place of religious worship.
In 2015, the first challenge to the Monastery’s property arose from the then-governor of South Sinai, who filed a legal case against Archbishop Damianos, the head of the Monastery, because the Monastery had not been legally recognized as a legal entity. The case involved 31 buildings and 40 agricultural properties, including the Monastery’s facilities, gardens, guesthouses, and library.
Serious concerns are also being raised as to whether the decision affects the Monastery’s unique and priceless library, as well as the invaluable icons housed in the church, the exhibition area, and the restoration workshop.
Unless there is immediate political intervention to halt the implementation of the court ruling, the Monastery is at risk of imminent closure and conversion into a “tourist attraction,” while the fate of the monks remains uncertain, especially since about ten Greek monks are elderly and many of their residence permits in Egypt have expired without renewal.
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