Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Declares That the Status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai Remains Unchanged

The Egyptian President’s Administration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have officially stated that Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai is completely safe, and its status will not be changed. Information spread by Greek representatives and the media about the alleged closure of the monastery by court decision has been refuted and called false. This was reported by one of the Greek news sources, “Naftemporiki.”

A representative of Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized several key points. First, there will be absolutely no harm to Saint Catherine’s Monastery, the archaeological monuments associated with it, its spiritual value, religious status, or its cemeteries. He noted that this is the first case where a court has officially recognized the status of the monastery, confirming its sacred character.

Second, despite contracts signed with local authorities for additional lands considered natural reserves, the court ruling supports the continued use of the monastery and its associated religious and archaeological sites to preserve their spiritual significance and high religious status.

Third, the ruling mentions the existence of some remote areas designated as natural reserves. These lands are far from the monastery, uninhabited, and have no ownership documents, so they are considered state property.

The official representative also called for careful fact-checking and avoiding premature or incorrect conclusions before the full court ruling is reviewed. He stressed the importance of maintaining strong, fraternal, and historical ties between Egypt and Greece.

It is also worth noting that the renewed administration of the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” plans to soon restrict access for monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to premises located in the “lower” Lavra area. The reserve’s representatives intend to take these actions despite no court decisions being made on this matter.