Former Archbishop of Sinai Damianos has issued a forceful warning against any agreement that would jeopardize the historic ownership rights of St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.
In a letter, published by Romfea, addressed to the Holy Community of Mount Athos, Damianos thanked the Athonite monasteries for their firm intervention in defense of St. Catherine’s and expressed his full agreement with their position in support of the Monastery’s spiritual and administrative autonomy, its ancient ownership rights, and its inalienable rights.
Damianos, the oldest living Sinaitic monk and a member of the Brotherhood for more than six decades, describes the Sinaitic Brotherhood as struggling to preserve those rights under “difficult circumstances” and “suffocating pressure.” His warning about any proposed agreement concerning the Monastery’s future is unequivocal: an agreement that jeopardizes its historic ownership would be disastrous and would lead ‘with mathematical certainty’ to the Monastery’s dissolution
“What time and barbarian conquerors failed to accomplish,” he writes, “must not be allowed to be achieved by so-called ‘Civilization’ and so-called ‘Law.’”
The former Archbishop stresses that the issue extends beyond the preservation of a historic building or Christian monument. He describes St. Catherine’s as a unique spiritual treasure of Orthodoxy and part of the historical memory and cultural heritage of humanity, while emphasizing that its survival depends upon maintaining the historic ownership, autonomy, unity, stability, and inviolability of the Monastery.
Damianos also placed particular significance on Mount Athos’s intervention, describing its position as not merely an expression of brotherly solidarity but “a powerful expression of ecclesiastical responsibility and truth.” He recalls the centuries-old spiritual relationship between Sinai and Mount Athos and says that the Athonite community understands from its own experience the importance of preserving the spiritual and administrative continuity of ancient monasteries.
Having served St. Catherine’s for more than sixty years, Damianos concludes by asking that his intervention be received as “a cry of anguish,” while expressing gratitude for Mount Athos’s support and confidence that the historic relationship between Sinai and Athos will remain unbroken.
The central message of the letter is unmistakable: preserving St. Catherine’s cannot mean accepting an arrangement that sacrifices its historic ownership rights. For Damianos, those rights are inseparable from the Monastery’s continued existence and independence.
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Letter of Thanks from Former Archbishop of Sinai Damianos to the Holy Community
ARCHBISHOP DAMIANOS, FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF SINAI
Eucharistic Center, Athens
September 12, 2026
Most Reverend Fathers and Brothers,
Holy Representatives and Superiors of the Sacred Monasteries
of the Holy Community of Mount Athos,
With profound emotion and brotherly gratitude, I read your Letter concerning the situation at the Holy Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai, and especially the issues relating to the Holy Monastery of the God-Trodden Mountain. Your decision, expressed with apostolic and decisive vigor on behalf of the historic course of the Monastery, constitutes not only documented ecclesiastical support, but also a powerful message of encouragement to the Sinaitic Brotherhood in its struggle to safeguard, despite the difficult circumstances and the suffocating pressure, its spiritual and administrative autonomy, its ownership rights dating from ancient times, and its inalienable rights. This assurance and your intervention are a source of strength and hope for the Monastery of Sinai.
An agreement that might jeopardize the Monastery’s ownership would prove disastrous for the Monastery and would lead, with mathematical certainty, to its dissolution. What time and barbarian conquerors failed to accomplish must not be allowed to be achieved by so-called “Civilization” and so-called “Law.”
Your brotherly support strengthens the morale of us Sinaites and encourages us to continue steadfastly the sacred struggle for the historic truth, the ecclesiastical tradition, and the protection of this unique spiritual treasure of Orthodoxy. I am particularly moved by the interest you have shown in the continued unity, stability, and inviolability of the Monastery, emphasizing not only to the Orthodox world, but also to every well-intentioned person regardless of denomination, race, or religion, that the Monastery constitutes a foundation of unity, historical memory, and the cultural heritage of humanity.
Sinai and Athos are linked indissolubly, for their roots are identified not only historically and ascetically, but also theologically. Saint Catherine the Great Martyr, an ardent champion of the Most Holy Theotokos, was granted the blessing of her refuge on the Holy Mountain. Even now, Saint Catherine’s right hand is treasured on Athos, dedicated to the Mother of the Lord and protected by Her.
The spiritual affinity of these two sacred places is protected by their common ascetic tradition. The sacred pilgrimage, a fruit of holiness and daily transformation and purification, radiates on Athos through the presence and teaching of Saint Gregory Palamas, while in Sinai the great fathers Saint John of the Ladder and Saint Gregory of Sinai renew the spiritual bond between Sinai and Athos.
The Holy Community of Mount Athos, guardian of Orthodox Tradition and monastic polity, knows from experience the importance of the spiritual and administrative continuity of the ancient Monasteries. This clear and documented position of yours, in defense of the historic ownership and autonomy of the Monastery of Sinai, therefore constitutes not only an act of brotherly solidarity, but also a powerful expression of ecclesiastical responsibility and truth.
My humble person, having served the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine for more than six decades, knows from experience the trials, the difficulties, and the struggles involved. For this reason, I regard your position as a precious support in the continuation of its spiritual and historic mission in Sinai, which constitutes a common treasure of Orthodoxy and of the entire Christian world.
Please accept this letter as a cry of anguish from me, together with my gratitude and my full assurance that your brotherly relationship with Sinai will remain unshaken, supported by common faith and tradition, in the unceasing and uninterrupted prayer for the peace and unity of the Church.
With profound respect and brotherly love,
† Archbishop Damianos, former Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho
