An agreement on the status of St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai is on the verge of being signed

Negotiations regarding the future of St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai—one of the oldest active Christian monasteries in the world—have entered a decisive stage. Representatives of the Sinai Brotherhood are preparing to give a final response to the proposals sent by the Egyptian authorities in August of this year. It is expected that, once all details have been agreed upon, the parties will be able to proceed to the signing of a document that will establish the monastery’s legal status.

According to Vima Orthodoxias, the central element of the future agreement will be a “dual ownership” arrangement. Under the draft agreement, the Sinai Brotherhood will retain the right to religious ownership, use, and management of the monastery complex. At the same time, the management of historical sites and unique Byzantine artifacts will be carried out with the participation of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, which effectively combines the principles of “bare ownership” and “conditional usufruct.”

Particular attention in the negotiation process has been paid to the status of the monastery’s property, which ensures the community’s survival. A special group of experts conducted a detailed inventory of all lands and assets to rule out any legal disputes in the future. In addition, discussions are underway regarding the official recognition of Archbishop Simeon of Sinai as the legitimate abbot through a decree by the President of Egypt, as well as the simplification of residency status for members of the monastic community.

The negotiation process, which has intensified in recent months, has also attracted international attention. In particular, representatives of the U.S. administration visited the monastery, emphasizing the importance of preserving this spiritual and cultural heritage. Pending the official signing, the final terms remain the subject of dialogue between Egypt, the Archdiocese of Sinai, and the Greek government.