Egyptian Court Ruling Sparks Greece-Egypt Dispute Over St. Catherine’s Monastery

A recent Egyptian court ruling has sparked significant concern in Greece and internationally over the status of the Greek Orthodox St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai, with fears that the property could be confiscated by the Egyptian state and monks evicted. The Egyptian government quickly responded, emphasizing that the ruling concerns only uninhabited lands outside the monastery’s core and affirming their commitment to preserving the monastery’s sacred status and religious character, as reiterated by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during his recent visit to Athens. Greek officials, including Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, stressed that there is no room for deviation from the mutual agreements made between Greece and Egypt to protect the monastery. The Greek government and church leaders have expressed alarm, with Archbishop Ieronymos warning of an existential threat to the monastery and criticizing the Egyptian judicial system. Both countries have committed to ongoing discussions to resolve the matter institutionally, aiming to safeguard the monastery’s religious and historical significance recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite the controversy, Egyptian officials maintain that the monastery’s spiritual, archaeological, and religious sites remain unaffected by the court decision.