During an event organised by the Saint Catherine Foundation dedicated to the historic monastery and to the work of photographer and author Lizzie Manola, Archbishop Simeon of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai expressed his gratitude to Greece and Egypt, which he described as the two homelands of the Sinaitic Brotherhood.
Addressing representatives of Christian churches and communities, members of the diplomatic corps, and officials from Egypt, Greece, the Holy See, and Malta, as well as United Nations officials, Archbishop Simeon emphasised that their presence honoured Mount Sinai. He also thanked Michael Rigas, the United States Under Secretary of State for Management and Resources, for attending and for his “continued interest” in Saint Catherine’s Monastery.
In his speech, Archbishop Simeon emphasised the monastery’s strong ties with Greece and Egypt. “Above all, we Sinai monks warmly thank our two homelands: Greece, which gave us birth; and Egypt, which hosts us,” he said.
Referring to the Arab Republic of Egypt and its “pious president”, Sisi, he stressed that “we are certain they are making every possible effort to ensure that Mount Sinai may continue its eternal journey without interruption”.
In closing his address, Archbishop Simeon honoured Ms Manola’s contribution and offered his blessing to those present, saying: “May the grace of God, who revealed himself on Mount Sinai, be with all of us.” The event also highlighted the work of the Saint Catherine Foundation and its supporters. Archbishop Simeon thanked the Foundation’s president, Dimitrios Dondos, as well as its American associates and board members, for their unwavering dedication to preserving and supporting Saint Catherine’s Monastery over many years. He noted that the gathering itself was a testament to this commitment.
The Foundation’s role in preserving the monastery was presented as concrete and essential. According to the organisers, the Foundation was established 30 years ago following an appeal made by the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, after his pilgrimage to Saint Catherine’s in 1995.
In recent decades, the Foundation has supported major conservation and preservation projects, including the protection of manuscripts, the installation of fire safety systems, digitisation initiatives and the safeguarding of the monastery’s collection. As was emphasised during the event, the Foundation’s mission extends beyond preserving Christian heritage to protecting the ‘shared cultural and religious heritage of humanity’. The organisers likewise underscored the significance of the monastery, describing Saint Catherine’s as one of the world’s most remarkable and sacred historic sites and the oldest continuously operating Christian monastery.
Lizzie Manola was mentioned in particular, with Archbishop Simeon describing her as one of the “ambassadors of Mount Sinai”. The organisers presented her photographic album, the result of many years of work at Saint Catherine’s Monastery, as offering “a rare glimpse into a world usually hidden from view”.
When asked about her approach, Ms Manola explained that photographing the monastery required patience, discretion and trust. In this setting, she noted, permission is understood as a ‘blessing’, which is ‘something more than simple permission’ and constitutes ‘a form of trust’. Without this blessing, she said, she could never have captured the ‘deep spirituality’ of the place as she experienced it. Ms Manola also described how her relationship with the monastery had developed gradually. ‘Access is granted once, but in Sinai it must be earned again and again,’ she said, explaining that what initially began as distance gradually transformed into ‘mutual recognition’.
She recalled having conversations with the elders over coffee or tea, being given guided tours of the monastery’s most hidden spaces, and being allowed to witness practices such as preparing prosphora bread, making incense, processions and all-night vigils.
At the same time, she noted that there were moments when she consciously put down her camera because ‘the invisible is more present than the visible’.
Those attending the event included Greece’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Aglaia Baltá, and Consul Petros Dorizas.
