Cairo (AsiaNews) – Egyptian authorities plan to close the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai, the world’s oldest functioning structure of its kind, and seize all the assets attached to it, transferring them to the state. To this end, all the monks inside have been ordered to vacate the site.
Some 1,500 years after its founding by Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and after surviving major historical and religious challenges, the revered monastery is set to become a museum by the Egyptian government, orthodoxia.info reports.
This has plunged Egypt’s Christian community into despair, despite the reassurances recently made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mītsotakīs on the use of the facility.
Local sources say that the goal is of turning the now-vacant buildings into a tourist attraction akin to the pyramids.
Last night, Egyptian authorities released a statement to defuse the situation and calm the anger and concerns among Christians.
“The Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt reiterates its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery and preventing its violation,” reads the official statement. “The Presidency affirms that the recent court ruling consolidates this status, aligning with the points President El-Sisi emphasized during his recent visit to Athens on May 7.”
The Greek government has not issued any statement yet, but the story has had a wide echo among Orthodox Christians.
In a message posted on social media, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America speaks of “profound concern and deep sorrow” for the “grave situation”. As the cleric stressed, citing biblical tradition, the monastery stands in a sacred, “God-trodden” place.
For centuries, “this spiritual institution has maintained harmonious relations with various administrations and regional authorities, who have consistently confirmed and protected its traditional order and sacred character. Its walls have witnessed centuries of devotion and peace among Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike. The monastery’s significance transcends religious boundaries, symbolizing a shared heritage of humanity.”
The Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, located at the foot of Mount Sinai, bears witness to the enduring legacy of faith, scholarship and interfaith harmony. Founded in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I, it is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world and stands on the site where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and under the mountain of the Decalogue, and where he entrusted him with the Tablets of the Law.
The place has nourished saints such as John Climacus and Gregory of Sinai, preserving Christianity’s most precious archaeological and spiritual heritage; among the many examples, we have the famous Sinai Library with its ancient manuscripts and the most important collection in the world of pre-iconoclastic icons on wood.
The decision to turn the monastery into a museum was made official yesterday following a court ruling, ending a long-running legal case that pitted the monks against the Egyptian state.
Such an “assault”, sources say, began when the Muslim Brotherhood was in power and continued even after their fall “through judicial pressure and attacks” aimed at shutting down the monastery.
Ownership of the site and all its assets belong to the state and the monks must vacate the place, which will remain inaccessible in the future. In other words, the monks “are allowed to remain in the monastery to fulfil their religious duties only for as long as the new owner – the Egyptian state – permits.”
In the past, the Greek government backed the monks' struggle. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had raised the issue at the highest levels, repeatedly urging President al-Sisi to intervene on behalf of the monks.
The last meeting between the Greek prime minister and the Egyptian president was in early May, when the two sides agreed on “the need to preserve the monastery’s character”.
Although Egypt, a friendly and allied nation, appeared poised to reverse the injustice - as publicly promised by its president, the court's ruling has upended expectations, raising questions about the Egyptian government’s intentions, which appear to echo those of extremists.
“In May 2023, I had the profound honour of leading a pilgrimage of Greek Americans to this sacred site,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. “Together, we venerated the Chapel of the Burning Bush, ascended Mount Sinai, and engaged with the monastic community that has preserved this beacon of spirituality through the ages. Our visit reaffirmed the monastery’s role as a living monument to faith and resilience.”
However, “The recent judicial actions which threaten to confiscate the monastery’s property and disrupt its spiritual mission are deeply troubling. Such measures not only violate religious freedoms but also endanger a site of immense historical and cultural importance. It is imperative that the Egyptian government honours its previous commitments to protect the monastery’s autonomy and heritage.”
