Mt. Sinai, September 1, 2025
orthodoxianewsagency.gr
A serious leadership crisis has erupted at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai, one of the world’s oldest continuously functioning Christian monasteries, with two opposing factions presenting dramatically different accounts of recent events at the historic site.
The events have been extensively covered by the Orthodoxia News Agency.
The Events of August 26, 2025
Archbishop Damianos’ Version
On August 26, His Eminence Archbishop Damianos of Mt. Sinai, the monastery’s abbot, returned after an extended absence. According to his statement, he arrived “with the aim of reconciliation and discussion with the small group of coup-plotting monks.”
The Archbishop claims that upon his arrival, the “coup-plotting monks” attacked and insulted him. He states that monks loyal to him defended both him and the monastery, pushing the opposing monks outside the monastery walls.
Following these events, Abp. Damianos convened a General Assembly with the monks present, as the opposing monks were excluded due to being punished with excommunication. A new Council of the Monastery was elected, consisting of Hieromonk Porphyrios Kanavakis (Ecclesiarch), Hieromonk Akakios Spanos (Sacristan), and Monk Ephraim Provatas (Steward).
The Archbishop declared that “the monastery has returned to legality and canonicity,” while expressing fear for his life, requesting protection from both the Greek and Egyptian governments.
The Expelled Monks’ Version
The group of monks seeking the Archbishop’s removal presents a starkly different account. According to their statement published on the Friends of the Holy Monastery of Theovadistos, Mount Sinai website, Abp. Damianos appeared “completely suddenly” at the monastery on the evening of August 26 after a long absence, accompanied by “about ten thugs.”
They claim these individuals, led by Fr. Akakios, forcibly removed the monks from their cells one by one. The expelled monks state that when monks refused to open their doors, the intruders broke them down and forcibly ejected them. They assert that twelve monks were left outside the monastery walls overnight while the Archbishop’s group locked themselves inside, refusing entry even to Egyptian police and security forces who arrived at the scene.
The expelled monks deny the Archbishop’s claims of being attacked, stating “the fathers didn’t even see him” as he remained in his office while the expulsions took place.
The Monastery Under Siege
Following the initial confrontation, Abp. Damianos claimed the monastery was under siege. He alleged that local police authorities, acting on orders from what he called “chief coup-plotter monk Hesychios Mohammed” and a local armed businessman named Antonis Kazamias, were preventing the entry of essential supplies including food, medicine, and clothing into the monastery.
The Archbishop appealed to the Egyptian government to “ensure unimpeded entry to the monastery of medicines, food, clothes and other necessities for our survival,” stating he felt “trapped, hostage and almost imprisoned” after 60 years at the monastery.
Accusations Against Archbishop Damianos
On August 29, the Sinaitic Brotherhood issued a detailed statement listing the reasons for their decision to remove Abp. Damianos from his position as abbot. The accusations include:
- Absence from the Monastery: The Archbishop systematically did not reside at Sinai, spending extended periods mainly in Athens and elsewhere. From 2018 onwards, he allegedly spent no more than two or three months total at the monastery.
- Autocratic Governance: He allegedly abolished the functioning of the Sinaitic Brotherhood as the supreme governing authority, failing to convene assemblies as required by regulations and usurping its jurisdictions.
- Cohabitation with a Woman: The monks claim the Archbishop has for years employed a woman, Aikaterini Spyropoulou, at his private apartment in Athens, violating canonical rules. They allege she lived in the same apartment with him and accompanied him to all public appearances, systematically interfering in the monastery’s administration and management. They reference a confidential report from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this “extremely scandalous issue.”
- Financial Mismanagement: The Brotherhood accuses the Archbishop of continuous financial abuses. They cite that in 2024, from official income of €538,638 from the Athens Metochion alone, the central monastery received only €60,558.
- Unauthorized Property Sales: The Archbishop allegedly sold monastery properties without informing or obtaining approval from the Brotherhood, including an apartment in Athens for €75,000 and a warehouse in Thessaloniki for €41,000.
- Improper Agreements: He allegedly made harmful agreements transferring the monastery’s intellectual property rights without consultation, including a digitization agreement with UCLA where a key employee was reportedly the son of Aikaterini Spyropoulou.
- Legislative Manipulation: The Archbishop allegedly collaborated with Greek government officials to pass a law establishing a legal entity in Greece using the monastery’s name, without the Brotherhood’s knowledge or approval. This law reportedly includes a new charter different from the existing Fundamental Regulations.
Response from the Archbishop’s Representative
Archimandrite Porphyrios (Fragakos), the monastery’s representative in Greece and spokesperson for Abp. Damianos, defended the Archbishop’s actions. He stated that “monks cannot depose a hierarch” and characterized the opposing monks’ actions as creating a “faction and parasynagogue.”
Fr. Porphyrios noted the timing of the crisis was particularly damaging, occurring while the monastery was acquiring legal personality in Greece and during negotiations with Egypt regarding a court decision that threatened the monastery’s property. He suggested these developments were being deliberately sabotaged.
Official Responses
The Greek government has been in contact with Archbishop Damianos following the crisis. The Greek ambassador to Egypt has reportedly been involved in attempting to resolve the situation, particularly regarding the alleged blockade of supplies to the monastery.
Archbishop Damianos announced that the Greek justice system would soon be called upon to rule on the various allegations made against him, which he characterized as “false, unethical and slanderous.”
Latest Development
On August 30, Abp. Damianos proceeded to remove eleven monks from the monastery’s register. He indicated that the expelled monks could potentially return if they submitted a written apology for their actions.
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