Sources familiar with the process, cited by Proto Thema, express optimism that the intensive negotiations between the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Sinai and the Egyptian state regarding the monastery’s property status may soon reach a conclusion.
Time is pressing, as the ruling of the Ismailia Court—which cast doubt on both the monastery’s property rights and its very legal standing—is becoming increasingly entrenched. At the same time, there is a risk that Egypt’s Supreme Court could issue a ruling on appeals filed by both the monks and the Egyptian state, potentially undermining any framework for an out-of-court settlement.
According to available information, the talks are progressing positively and are converging on a formula considered the most realistic solution under the adverse circumstances created by the court ruling. The negotiations are taking place between the Egyptian state and the monastery, while Athens is closely monitoring developments and providing support. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has reportedly included the issue in his discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis has undertaken contacts with the Egyptian government and his counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, while Giorgos Kalantzis, Secretary General for Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Education, remains in constant communication with the monastery and its legal team.
Based on current information, the agreement would recognize ownership of all sites as belonging to the Egyptian state in its capacity as the custodian of archaeological monuments. At the same time, it would grant the monastery perpetual possession and use of these properties without any financial consideration. The arrangement would cover all buildings and facilities within the monastery walls, as well as chapels outside the enclosure, including the Chapel of the Holy Summit.
Questions remain, however, regarding which additional properties will be covered by the agreement and under what terms.
One unresolved issue concerns the monastery’s gardens, located outside the walls and vital to the monks’ sustenance and the monastery’s food supply. These lands have been legally separated from the monastery, and proposals under discussion reportedly include long-term leases at a symbolic cost.
There is now a growing need to expedite the agreement in order to prevent possible encroachments, which are not uncommon in the Bedouin-inhabited region.
According to the same sources, the agreement would provide definitive legal protection for the monastery and, for the first time in its history, grant it formal documentation recognizing its legal personality through an agreement with the Egyptian state.
The agreement is also expected to stipulate that no future legal challenge may be brought against the settlement. Furthermore, it would constitute the first legal instrument to establish specific obligations on the part of the Egyptian state regarding the protection of monastic life and the functioning of the monastery.
Particularly significant is the fact that, through the negotiation process, the monastery has for the first time compiled a comprehensive dossier of its property holdings. Rather than relying on simple descriptions, the documentation includes topographical surveys, historical records, and archival references supporting its claims. This extensive work was completed through the initiative of private scholars associated with the monastery, who reportedly offered their services on a voluntary basis.
Archbishop Symeon, despite ongoing health issues, remains actively involved in the negotiations, keeping the monks informed of every development in order to limit speculation and ensure unity within the monastic community. At the same time, he is approaching the process with the technocratic precision required for such a complex negotiation.
Still pending is the issuance of the presidential decree recognizing the new Archbishop. It is believed that Egyptian authorities may be using this matter as leverage, waiting for the agreement to be finalized before formally validating Archbishop Symeon’s election.
Questions have also been raised regarding the stance of former Archbishop Damianos, who has remained in Athens since the crisis at the monastery. According to the report, promises allegedly made to him by the monastery have not been fulfilled, leading him—unsuccessfully—to attempt the formation of a group of monks that could exert pressure on the new Archbishop. His criticism has reportedly extended to the negotiations with the Egyptian state as well.
