Yesterday afternoon, the situation at the Monastery of Sinai took a dramatic turn when the marathon negotiations that had been underway since Monday collapsed.
According to Kathimerini, well-informed sources report that the decision for Secretary-General of Religious Affairs Giorgos Kalantzis to travel to the monastery on Monday was preceded by a preliminary understanding of an “agreed solution” over the weekend. However, this ultimately fell through when one side reneged on the agreement. In essence, the main players in the crisis had already set actions in motion that, in theory, should have led to its resolution. However, those involved ultimately failed to follow through, despite having made commitments to do so.
Until late yesterday, there were still intensive efforts underway to avert further adverse developments. The attempt to restore a minimum level of agreement between Archbishop Damianos and the monks who opposed him failed. Mr. Kalantzis spent more than 24 hours in talks with all parties, trying to reach an agreement centered on a “roadmap” for replacing Archbishop Damianos. Damianos had originally outlined this plan at the end of July when he announced the initiation of a process leading up to a general assembly to elect a new archbishop on September 7.
According to well-informed sources quoted by Kathimerini, the prevailing impression—which was also the basis for public statements of support for Archbishop Damianos—was that he remained committed to the original position and would set the process in motion by resigning himself. However, this was not reflected in the last two days of negotiations.
According to these sources, the monks’ objections to the archbishop, primarily concerning the government’s recently passed law recognizing the monastery’s dependency in Greece as a legal entity, were initially overcome during the discussions at the Monastery of Sinai. For a while, it seemed that an understanding was within reach, and an agreement on the way forward could be reached. Yet, at the last moment, Archbishop Damianos raised new objections. According to his associates, he demanded a written commitment from all the monks that they would continue to try to overturn the court decision regarding the monastery’s property rights. Other accounts suggest that proposals were made to formally acknowledge Damianos’s many years of service to the monastery and to secure his continued involvement in monastery affairs through its Greek dependency.
According to those familiar with the discussions, the dramatic negotiations bore no fruit, even when the opposing monks explicitly acknowledged Damianos’s contributions to the monastery, stressing that they could neither be forgotten nor diminished.
Kathimerini emphasizes that the big question is, “What happens next?” A source closely monitoring the situation took an ominous tone, stating, “All restraints have now been lifted. There is no logic anymore.” According to reports, there were insistent recommendations and discussions about proceeding with the process of selecting Damianos’s successor without his consent by invoking the relevant provisions governing the monastery’s operations. Proponents of this approach argue that it would ensure leadership continuity and that, as long as all formal procedures are observed, the outcome could not be challenged.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian side has voiced strong dissatisfaction, as the monastery—which, under normal circumstances, should be open to visitors during tourist season—has remained closed for several days. This could prompt a reaction from the Egyptian authorities to ensure the site resumes normal operations.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
