Mt. Sinai, May 30, 2025
Photo: ekathimerini.com
Yesterday, a flurry of articles appeared in the Greek and English-language press, reporting that the Egyptian government was seizing St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai and evicting all the monks.
The article, “Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai: Egypt shuts it down, confiscates its property, and evicts monks,” on Proto Thema states:
Nearly 15 centuries after its founding, the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian monastery is being shut down—remarkably, not due to war, but in peacetime. Following a court ruling, it is expected to be converted into a museum. The monks are organizing a global campaign to protest the move.
Egypt has made an unprecedented and controversial decision to close Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai—the oldest functioning Christian monastery in the world. The reaction has been swift and furious.
St. Catherine’s was built at the foot of Mt. Sinai, where God spoke to Moses in the Burning Bush, by Emperor St. Justinian between 548 and 565.
The primate of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, condemned the reported move against the ancient holy habitation, saying:
In light of yesterday’s scandalous ruling by the Egyptian judiciary—an act of violent infringement upon human and religious rights—Saint Catherine’s Monastery of Mount Sinai, the world’s oldest Orthodox Christian monument, is entering a great trial reminiscent of darker times…. Its property is being seized, and this spiritual lighthouse of Orthodoxy and Hellenism now faces a struggle for actual survival.
However, reports then began to appear saying that the relevant court ruling had, in fact, left the status of the monastery unchanged. Last night, the Egyptian government’s State Information Service issued a statement, saying that claims of closure and eviction are “completely unfounded.”
The statement reads:
In response to an inquiry by the Middle East News Agency regarding the judicial ruling issued on May 28 concerning the lands surrounding the Monastery of Saint Catherine and the rumors circulated about the confiscation of the monastery and its affiliated lands, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that such claims are completely unfounded and that upon reviewing the full text of the ruling, the following facts become clear:
First, the Monastery of Saint Catherine, its affiliated archaeological sites, its spiritual value, religious significance, and the monastery’s associated cemeteries aren't infringed. The spokesperson affirmed that this judicial ruling represents the first instance in which the legal status of the monastery has been regulated, with a clear affirmation of the preservation of its sacred standing.
Second, although there are some additional sites for which contracts had been signed with local authorities—despite their classification as natural reserves—the court ruling, in recognition of the spiritual and religious value of the monastery, has approved the continued right of the monastery’s monks to benefit from those areas, as well as from the religious and archaeological sites within the region.
Third, the judicial ruling referred to the existence of some remote areas within the natural reserves that are completely distant from the monastery and uninhabited, for which no ownership or possession documents exist. Consequently, these lands are considered state property.
The Spokesperson highlighted the necessity of verifying information and refraining from issuing erroneous and premature judgments before reviewing the full text of the judicial ruling. He further underscored the paramount significance of avoiding any harm to the close, fraternal, and historical relations that bind Egypt to the friendly Hellenic Republic, which have spanned across centuries.
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!
