The visit of Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs and Senior Advisor for Africa, to the dependency (metochion) of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine at the God-Trodden Mount Sinai in Cairo was an event of particular significance and profound symbolism.
According to a post by Christos G. Papadopoulos, Boulos was accompanied by senior officials from the U.S. Embassy in Egypt, including Robert Silverman, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Judit Visontai, Political Affairs Officer, and Kris Kvols, Economic Counselor.
The distinguished delegation was welcomed by Archbishop Symeon of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho, together with fathers of the Sinaitic Brotherhood and friends of the Monastery. Also present was Antonis Kazamias, Advisor to the Archbishop of Sinai and President of the Hellenic Center in Cairo.
Following the warm reception, Boulos and his delegation toured the historic metochion and visited the Church of St. Catherine, where they joined Archbishop Symeon and the monastery’s fathers in prayer and paid their respects to the holy site with profound reverence, expressing their respect for this sacred place and for the uninterrupted spiritual presence of the Sinaitic Brotherhood.
A lengthy meeting followed in the metochion’s reception hall, during which views were exchanged on the Holy Monastery’s historical journey, its spiritual mission, and its global cultural contribution as one of the oldest continuously functioning monastic institutions in the Christian world.
During the discussion, Boulos expressed his deep respect for the God-Trodden Mount Sinai and the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine, recognizing its unique historical, spiritual, and universal significance. He also conveyed the personal interest of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as his own, in preserving the Monastery’s historic status quo. The Senior Advisor further assured those present that he would remain a steadfast friend and supporter of the Holy Monastery, expressing his commitment to supporting every effort aimed at safeguarding the unique character of this sacred site.
To commemorate the visit, Archbishop Symeon and the fathers of the Sinaitic Brotherhood presented ceremonial gifts to the Senior Advisor to the U.S. President and the members of his delegation, expressing their heartfelt gratitude for their highly honored presence and for the sincere interest they had shown in the Holy Monastery.
Archbishop Symeon also extended a formal invitation to Boulos to visit the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine at the God-Trodden Mount Sinai, so that he might personally experience the place where, for more than fifteen centuries, one of the foremost centers of Orthodoxy and world cultural heritage has been preserved without interruption. Mr. Boulos stated that such a visit was something he very much wished to make.
The meeting, which took place at a time when the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine is at the center of international attention, was an event of particular importance and reaffirmed the enduring recognition by the international community of the Monastery’s historic, spiritual, and universal mission.
Boulos: “The Leadership of Donald Trump Continues to Defend Religious Freedom”
U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos met with Archbishop Symeon of Sinai the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine, on Saturday, July 18.
In a post on X, Boulos referred to St. Catherine’s Monastery as “one of Christianity’s oldest and most sacred sites,” emphasizing its unique religious and historical significance.
Located at the foot of Mount Sinai, the monastery “holds profound significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike and stands as a living symbol of our shared Abrahamic heritage,” he wrote.
The U.S. official also commended Egypt for its longstanding commitment to preserving its religious heritage and safeguarding the historic monastery.
“I commend Egypt’s longstanding commitment to preserving its rich religious legacy and safeguarding this remarkable place of worship,” Boulos stated.
He concluded his message by expressing his appreciation for serving under U.S. President Donald Trump, saying that the President’s leadership “continues to protect and champion religious freedom around the world.”
Today, I had the honor of meeting His Eminence Archbishop Symeon Papadopoulos of St. Catherine’s Monastery, one of Christianity’s oldest and most sacred sites. Located at the foot of Mount Sinai, the monastery holds profound significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike… pic.twitter.com/DSvLTkeTcv
— U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs (@US_SrAdvisorAF) July 18, 2026
