Luxury Hotel Project in Sinai Threatens Saint Catherine Monastery

A major tourism development featuring a five-star hotel and luxury chalets is reshaping the landscape around the historic Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, according to an extensive report by the French newspaper Libération.

The report describes a large-scale tourism project promoted by the Egyptian government at the foot of Mount Moses, warning that it threatens both the traditional lifestyle of local Bedouin communities and the autonomy of the centuries-old monastery that houses the Burning Bush. The project, described as nearly complete, includes a luxury hotel, private chalets, a vast visitor centre, an airport, and a cable car to Mount Moses.

Church sources say the monastic brotherhood at Sinai remains in a state of paralysis, with only around seven monks currently residing at the monastery. Several monks who travelled to Athens alongside former Archbishop Damianos have not returned to Egypt, citing unresolved legal disputes and fears of arrest due to pending lawsuits. Sources also claim that the newly elected Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho, Simeon Papadopoulos, spends most of his time in Athens and Piraeus, while reports suggest a Bedouin caretaker now performs duties traditionally assigned to monks.

The Egyptian government has yet to issue a presidential decree formally recognising Archbishop Simeon, while monks reportedly receive visa renewals on a month-by-month basis. Observers note that neither the new abbot nor the brotherhood has moved to activate a recently established public legal entity in Athens that could assist with ongoing legal challenges in Egypt.

Greek diplomatic sources confirm that the issue of the Sinai Monastery arose during the most recent meeting between the Greek and Egyptian foreign ministers, noting a “shared understanding” between the two sides. However, officials say any final agreement on the monastery’s operational status, land use, or property rights will remain a matter between the Egyptian authorities and the monastic brotherhood.

According to Libération, Archbishop Simeon has publicly welcomed the tourism project, dismissing concerns about land nationalisation and describing the development as beneficial for keeping the area economically active. The report quotes the Archbishop as saying that discussions with Egyptian authorities remain open and that no pressure has been exerted to reach an agreement.

The French newspaper raises questions about the silence surrounding the project, citing claims from the US-based organisation Coptic Solidarity that political pressure influenced Archbishop Simeon’s election. The organisation alleges that both Athens and Cairo applied pressure amid negotiations over a major energy agreement between Greece and Egypt, involving a subsea pipeline to supply Europe with Egyptian electricity and natural gas.

The report also recalls a recent period of heightened tension between Greece and Egypt, after an Egyptian court ruled in May to nationalise monastery-linked land following demands for a sixth-century ownership document. Greek church leaders condemned the decision as an existential threat to Hellenism, prompting fears of monk expulsions. In October, both countries issued a joint statement prohibiting any alteration of the monastery or other sacred sites.