Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the enthronement of Abbot Symeon at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai on Thursday, declaring the preservation of its Greek Orthodox character a “national duty.” His presence signalled the end of a diplomatic rift with Egypt over a court ruling transferring monastery lands to the state, with both sides now “very close” to a final agreement that secures the site’s religious autonomy and operational future.
Tag: St. Catherine’s Monastery
Greece announced on Thursday that it has reached an agreement with Egypt on the future…
The election of Symeon Papadopoulos as St. Catherine’s new abbot and archbishop has spotlighted Greece’s influence, amid a contentious dispute over the monastery’s assets and autonomy. The unanimous vote followed the ouster of Archbishop Damianos, who backed a Greek law transferring control of the monastery’s holdings to Athens, raising questions about foreign involvement in the historic Sinai monastery.
A three-member committee from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has arrived in Athens to address the escalating crisis at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, where 15 monks demand the removal of Archbishop Damianos amid fears of Egyptian authorities seizing the monastery’s property. Despite diplomatic talks, no agreement was reached, fueling skepticism about a resolution.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis discussed Abdelatty’s upcoming Athens visit, focusing on regional developments, including Gaza and St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.
The Greek government has introduced a bill to grant legal status to St. Catherine’s Monastery of Sinai in Greece, marking a historic step after 15 centuries. The legislation preserves the monastery’s autonomy, supports church charitable work, and modernizes regulations for ecclesiastical education and worship licensing.
Egypt’s nationalization of lands surrounding St. Catherine’s Monastery, the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian monastery in the Sinai Desert, has sparked outrage in Greece and concern among Orthodox leaders
Egypt is closing St. Catherine’s Monastery, confiscating its property, and evicting its monks to turn the world’s oldest functioning Christian monastery into a museum, despite promises from President Sisi to Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis to protect it. A recent court ruling has raised concerns about Egypt’s true intentions, prompting the monks to plan a global mobilization.
