Greece’s Influence Evident in St. Catherine’s New Archbishop Election Amid Sinai Monastery Dispute

On Sunday, the monastic community of St. Catherine’s, the world’s oldest inhabited monastery, elected Symeon Papadopoulos as its new abbot and archbishop. The unanimous vote by the Council of Monks followed a turbulent period marked by a dispute over the monastery’s autonomy, sparked earlier this year when a portion of its assets was transferred to the Egyptian state. The situation was further complicated by efforts to manage the monastery from abroad, backed by the outgoing abbot, Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, leading to his ouster.

The election of Papadopoulos has raised questions about Greece’s role in the monastery’s affairs. A source told Mada Masr that Athens “had a hand” in securing Papadopoulos’s victory. Of the three eligible candidates, two—both tied to Greek monastic brotherhoods or ecclesiastical residencies—were disqualified when their ecclesiastical release documents were withheld, leaving Papadopoulos as the sole candidate. The source noted that these monks had been previously expelled by Damianos for opposing his policies.

Papadopoulos is perceived to have supported Damianos when the latter endorsed a Greek law transferring significant control of the monastery’s assets, both in Sinai and abroad, to a state authority in Athens. Greek media outlet iefimerida hailed Papadopoulos as “gentle and cooperative with Greece,” suggesting his election could facilitate a new agreement with Egypt over the monastery’s assets.

The election follows months of internal conflict. In July, an internal vote deposed Damianos, ending his five-decade tenure. In retaliation, he ordered private security to forcibly remove several monks from their cells, locking them out—an unprecedented act at the historic monastery. The Orthodox Patriarchate intervened, supporting Damianos’s dismissal and summoning him for review. Under pressure, Damianos resigned last week, citing health issues, and called for new elections. In a statement reviewed by Mada Masr, he lifted sanctions against the “dissident monks” and urged the withdrawal of mutual legal complaints to avoid a schism, announcing his retirement to Greece.

The monks agreed to drop their complaints against Damianos, and the Orthodox Patriarchate refrained from defrocking him following his resignation. Papadopoulos is set to be formally ordained by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem within three weeks, after which his three-member advisory council will be elected. His agenda, particularly regarding the Greek law and the ongoing legal battle over the monastery’s Egyptian land holdings, is expected to clarify his stance on these contentious issues.