ATHENS – The Brotherhood of St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai has reached an agreement with the Egyptian government on the status of the historic Holy Monastery of St. Catherine, ending a prolonged period of uncertainty and negotiations that had caused considerable concern in Greece and throughout the Orthodox world.
Archbishop Simeon of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho announced on Saturday, October 24, that the Monastery is ready to proceed with signing the agreement with Egypt as soon as his health permits. The exact date will be determined in consultation with the monastic brotherhood and the Egyptian authorities.
The agreement provides for the preservation of the Monastery’s unchanged religious character, the continuation of its operations in accordance with Orthodox monastic tradition, and the safeguarding of the monks’ rights to possess and use the Monastery’s ecclesiastical properties.
Particular importance is attached to the ownership arrangements, which constituted the main sticking point in the negotiations. According to the information made public, the agreement distinguishes between ecclesiastical and non-ecclesiastical properties.
For properties serving the Monastery’s religious functions, the agreement secures the free right of possession, use, and occupation in perpetuity, without any time limit. By contrast, properties without an ecclesiastical character will be granted for use and possession in accordance with Egyptian law.
The agreement does not recognize full ownership by the monastic brotherhood of the protected ecclesiastical properties. It does, however, ensure that the Archbishop and the monks retain effective control over the operation and management of the Monastery.
At the same time, neither the monastic brotherhood nor the Egyptian state will be permitted to sell or lease the protected Monastery, while the Egyptian authorities will be responsible for enforcing the relevant prohibition.
The issue prompted intense diplomatic activity following a ruling by the Ismailia Court of Appeal on May 28, 2025, which created a new situation regarding the legal status of the Monastery’s properties.
Months of consultations followed. During this period, the Brotherhood of St. Catherine requested time to examine the Egyptian government’s proposals and formulate its own positions, drawing also on a scholarly study of the Monastery’s historical legal status.
Support from five Orthodox Churches proved decisive. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, the Church of Greece, and the Church of Cyprus formally expressed their agreement with the proposed settlement through Patriarchal and Synodal letters.
Archbishop Simeon thanked the Egyptian government and President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi personally for their stance during the negotiations, while also acknowledging the contribution of the Greek state to efforts to reach an agreement.
He also expressed the view that, following the positive outcome of the consultations, there was no longer any reason for Egypt’s Supreme Court of Cassation to issue a ruling on the matter.
The development is considered particularly significant for Greek-Egyptian relations, as it addresses an outstanding issue that had taken on broader religious and diplomatic dimensions.
The Monastery of St. Catherine, one of the oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries in the world, is a monument of immeasurable religious and historical value.
Archbishop Simeon assured the public that monastic life continues as normal and that the Monastery remains open to pilgrims and visitors. He expressed optimism that the agreement would safeguard the continuation of Orthodoxy’s centuries-old presence in Sinai.
