Patriarch of Jerusalem Sends Delegation to Resolve Crisis at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Sinai

The Patriarch of Jerusalem has officially intervened in the crisis at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, announcing the dispatch of a delegation to mediate between Abbot Archbishop Damianos and a group of 15 monks who voted to remove him. This conflict is exacerbated by external pressure from Egyptian authorities as well as internal disagreements within one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries, which has a history spanning around 1,500 years. This was reported by the Orthodox Christianity portal.

In a letter to Archbishop Damianos, Patriarch Theophilos III confirmed the spiritual and canonical jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate over the Sinai Monastery and expressed readiness to initiate an official ecclesiastical procedure to resolve the conflict. The Patriarch emphasized that all decisions must be made according to recognized canonical norms and under the pastoral care of the Throne of the Church of Zion, also highlighting the importance of cooperation with the monastery’s brotherhood to peacefully resolve the crisis.

The internal conflict arose from the monks’ attempt to remove the abbot, who has led the monastery for over fifty years, which, according to Archbishop Damianos, harms the unity of the brotherhood and offends the faithful. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Court of Appeals in Ismailia issued a ruling that threatens the monastery’s property rights and places additional pressure on the community.

St. Catherine’s Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Sinai where, according to tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments, is an important center of Orthodoxy and spiritual heritage. Patriarch Theophilos expressed hope that, with God’s help and joint efforts, the holiness and unity of this sacred site can be preserved, and a just and peaceful solution to the conflict can be found.

It is worth noting that Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, the abbot of St. Catherine’s Monastery, called a letter from some monks addressed to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem demanding intervention a “conspiracy.” According to him, the brotherhood acted outside canonical order and without observing the monastery’s internal charter. The archbishop officially informed Patriarch Theophilos about the incident.