Crucial Appeal Hearing Set for Holy Monastery of St. Catherine on Mt. Sinai

MT. SINAI, EGYPT — Aug. 23 is expected to be a decisive day for the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai, as the monastery’s brotherhood is scheduled to appeal an Ismailia court decision that raised questions about the historic monastery’s property and legal status.

Meanwhile, four PASOK members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to address developments surrounding the monastery. Yiannis Maniatis, Nikos Papandreou, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, and Nikolas Farantouris expressed concern over the monastery’s legal personality, the Egyptian authorities’ failure to recognize its duly elected Archbishop and Abbot, and the resulting difficulties in protecting its historic property rights.

Negotiations between the monastery and Egypt are reportedly approaching their final stages. The proposed agreement is expected to recognize the Egyptian state’s ownership of the sites as archaeological monuments while guaranteeing the monastery’s perpetual possession and use without financial compensation.

Questions remain regarding other properties, particularly the monastery’s gardens outside its walls, which are essential to the monastic community’s daily life. A long-term lease for a symbolic fee is among the proposals reportedly under consideration. The agreement is also expected to establish clear obligations for the Egyptian state concerning monastic life and the monastery’s continued operation.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a U.S. official met with Abp. Symeon over the preservation of Sinai Monastery.