The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, led by Archbishop Sotirios, has expressed deep concern over recent developments affecting the historic Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai—the world’s oldest continuously inhabited monastery.
Standing in solidarity with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and international leaders, the Archdiocese calls for a peaceful and respectful resolution that preserves the Monastery’s sacred character and current status.
Emphasizing the site’s global spiritual and cultural significance, the Archdiocese urges Egyptian, Greek, and international authorities to safeguard its legacy. It also appeals to the Canadian government to advocate publicly for the protection of human rights and religious freedom in this context.
Read the announcement below:
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, together with all its faithful, are closely monitoring the troubling developments for the beloved and historic Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at the God-trodden Mount Sinai.
The Monastery was established in the sixth century and is the world’s oldest continuously inhabited Monastery. The Archdiocese and His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios join our venerable Ecumenical Patriarchate and other religious and government leaders around the world calling for a prudent, harmonious, and peaceful resolution to quickly prevail.The Saint Catherine Monastery has been a treasured beacon of hope and love for different faith communities and all people of goodwill throughout the centuries; it is an especially treasured place of worship for all Christians.
We hope and pray that Egyptian, Greek, and other international authorities work to preserve the status quo for the Monastery and its Brotherhood, led by Archbishop Damianos, so that its offering to the world as a UNESCO World Heritage Centre remains undisturbed for the benefit of humanity.The Archdiocese also calls upon the federal government of Canada, who supports development needs in Egypt and works closely with that country in multilateral fora, to respect and honour the history of Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai and publicly urge all parties involved to protect human rights and religious freedoms.
