By EcumenicalNews –
In a new parliamentary move concerning the legal status of St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, four Greek Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the PASOK party submitted a joint written question to the European Commission, seeking clarification on recent developments concerning the monastery and its historic rights.
The question was submitted on August 19 by Giannis Maniatis, Nikos Papandreou, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, and Nikolaos Farantouris, ahead of the final hearing expected before the Egyptian Court of Cassation on August 23 concerning the legal status of the monastery’s ownership.
The MEPs expressed concerns regarding the recognition of the legal personality of St. Catherine’s Monastery, as well as what they described as the Egyptian authorities’ failure, to date, to officially recognize the Archbishop and Abbot of the monastery who was canonically elected in accordance with ecclesiastical procedures.
They noted that these issues could affect the monastery’s ability to obtain effective legal representation before the courts and to safeguard its historic property rights.
The MEPs also pointed out that these developments come amid the European Union’s deepening strategic partnership with Egypt, stressing the importance of respecting the rule of law and human rights. They called on the European Commission to clarify its position regarding the monastery’s legal status and to ensure the protection of its historic rights and properties.
The move comes at a time of growing international attention to the future of St. Catherine’s Monastery, one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world and one of the most prominent symbols of the historic monastic and Christian presence in Sinai.
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