Athens, August 8, 2025
Photo: romfea.gr
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced during his official visit to Athens that Egypt and the Monastery of St. Catherine will soon sign an agreement, with Greece present as a witness, expressing his assessment that “there is absolute understanding about the developments on this issue.”
The Egyptian Foreign Minister provided assurances that Egypt will not deviate from its commitments to St. Catherine’s Monastery, emphasizing that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s instructions are to further strengthen Egyptian-Greek relations. “With the historical and religious weight that the monastery carries, it cannot be anything but a bridge of understanding between our two countries,” he said, reports Romfea.
Abdelatty reiterated President Sisi’s position that the monastery’s status is sacred and untouchable, expressing bewilderment at what he called “malicious rumors” circulating about the monastery’s future. “I want to assure you that these are unfounded and baseless. No one can touch this monastery which holds special spiritual weight for history. We completely reject any action that harms the monastery,” he stated.
He promised that the monastery will continue to play its historic role as a bridge between the two countries, noting that Egypt’s historical commitments to religious sites are “unwavering” and describing such sites as “a heritage we are pleased to have on our territory.”
For his part, Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis expressed appreciation for the sensitivity shown by President Sisi and the efforts of both the President and Foreign Minister regarding St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai.
Gerapetritis described his discussion with his Egyptian counterpart as productive regarding both the legal status of the monastery and its promotion as a global worship center. “Our common intention is for the Monastery to continue its undisturbed journey, with the status quo formed over 15 centuries. I’m convinced that Egypt will honor the tradition of respect for all religions and doctrines that it has shaped over time,” he emphasized.
The announcement comes after months of tensions following a May 2025 Egyptian court ruling that declared St. Catherine’s Monastery and surrounding areas to be Egyptian state property while granting the monks usage rights. The ruling caused outcry across the Orthodox Christian world, with religious leaders expressing fears about the future of the 6th-century monastery, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The monastery’s monks had closed its doors to visitors in protest, and the Greek government had engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. The dispute was further complicated by Egypt’s ongoing “Great Transfiguration” tourism development project in the area, which critics feared could threaten the monastery’s sacred character and autonomy.
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