The Archbishop of Cyprus, Georgios III, has publicly called on the Egyptian government to respect the centuries-old agreements and practices that have long governed Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula. He voiced strong support for the monastery and its Sinaitic Brotherhood, condemning recent judicial actions and property confiscation efforts by Egypt that threaten the monastery’s continued operation and spiritual mission.
This intervention by the Cypriot Archbishop is part of a broader international effort by the Orthodox world to defend the rights and integrity of the world’s oldest active Eastern Orthodox monastery.
In May 2025, the Egyptian government took judicial actions that could confiscate the monastery’s properties and disrupt its operations, creating a crisis for the Greek Orthodox Church and its historical legacy.
The Egyptian government dismissed ongoing “rumours “of a legal change to the monastery’s status, underlining that a recent court decision reinforces the monastery’s protected role.
It had been reported that the court ruling stripped the monastery of control over surrounding land and affiliated areas.
Further reports said the monks had closed access to the monastery following the court decision.
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