Following intense reactions triggered by a recent decision of an Egyptian court, the Egyptian Presidency and the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claim that “nothing changes the status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.”
In an official statement, the Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt reaffirmed its “full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery and preventing any violations.”
The statement adds that the recent court decision “reinforces this status, aligning with the points emphasized by President El-Sisi during his visit to Athens on May 7.”
The statement concludes with the Presidency confirming “the importance of maintaining the close and fraternal relations between the two countries and peoples and ensuring that these ties are not put at risk.”
This followed an intervention by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which the official spokesperson responded to a question from the Middle East News Agency (MENA) about the court ruling issued on Wednesday, May 28, regarding the lands surrounding the monastery.
The spokesperson stressed that such claims are false and that a review of the decision’s full text reveals the following:
First: There will be absolutely no harm to Saint Catherine’s Monastery, its associated archaeological sites, its spiritual value, its religious status, or its cemeteries. The spokesperson emphasized that this is the first time the court has officially recognized the monastery’s status, preserving its sacred character.
Second, despite the existence of additional areas for which contracts have been signed with local authorities — though these are considered nature reserves — the court decision approved continued use of the monastery and its religious and archaeological sites to preserve their spiritual significance and high religious status.
Third, the ruling noted the existence of certain remote areas that are designated as nature reserves. These areas are located far from the monastery, are uninhabited, and lack any ownership documentation. As such, they are considered state land.
The official spokesperson stressed the importance of verifying the facts and avoiding incorrect or premature conclusions before reviewing the full court decision. He also emphasized the importance of not undermining the close, fraternal, historic ties between Egypt and Greece, which stretch back centuries.
Strong Reaction from Archbishop Ieronymos
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece responded strongly to the decision of the Egyptian authorities. He called it a “scandalous decision constituting a violent violation of human and particularly religious freedoms,” and said that Saint Catherine’s Monastery of the God-trodden Mount Sinai “is now entering a serious trial reminiscent of darker times…”
He emphasized that the monastery’s property is being seized and confiscated and that this spiritual beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism is facing an existential threat. The archbishop called on the Greek authorities and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to recognize the situation’s gravity and “take immediate and appropriate action so that legal order is restored and the holy monastery is not essentially abolished.”
“Finally, I do not want to, and cannot, believe that today, Hellenism and Orthodoxy are experiencing yet another historical ‘fall,’” he added.
Regarding the Sinai Monastery, Pavlos Marinakis stated: “From the Greek side, we do not expect any change to the agreed terms”
Regarding Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, Marinakis stated that the Greek prime minister remains committed to the assurances he received, both publicly and privately, from the president of Egypt during the recent High Council of Cooperation between the two countries in Athens. These assurances concern the preservation of the monastery’s Greek Orthodox character.
Marinakis added, “Once the official and complete content of the court decision is known and properly assessed, there will be an official response. From the Greek side, we do not anticipate any change to the agreed-upon terms.”
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
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