Jerusalem Patriarchate Denies Fake Letter in the Case of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai

The Jerusalem Patriarchate has issued a statement regarding the situation surrounding the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai. According to reports, Archbishop Damianos of Sinai appealed to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, requesting assistance in resolving the matter. In response, the Patriarch sent a delegation of three members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and a canon law expert to Athens. This was reported by Orthodox Times.

During the negotiations, a forged letter allegedly signed by Archbishop Damianos appeared in the Greek media, the contents of which contradicted his initial position on the spiritual jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. The Patriarchate stated that such a letter never existed and condemned the spread of false information, which undermines the unity of the Church and seeks to divide the Orthodox world.

The Patriarchate’s delegation, ignoring rumors and false publications, held meetings with representatives of Archbishop Damianos and Greek officials, including Mr. Kanantzis, General Secretary for Religious Affairs. The Jerusalem Patriarchate urged the Archbishop to engage in peaceful dialogue to quickly and fraternally resolve the situation, preserving the unity of the Church and the people.

The statement emphasizes that the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre prays for the Archbishop’s health and hopes for a swift resolution of the conflict in a spirit of love and goodwill, placing its hope in God. The Patriarchate reaffirmed its commitment to ecclesiastical morals and its unwavering position regarding its canonical jurisdiction.

Earlier, we reported that the head of the OCU, Epiphanius Dumenko, attempted to explain why the organization has failed to establish a “Ukrainian cell” on Mount Athos. Dumenko claimed that the construction is being delayed because the OCU is allocating all its funds to support the Ukrainian army.