Archbishop Symeon of Sinai to sign agreement with Egypt on Sinai Monastery
His Eminence Archbishop Symeon of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho announced on Saturday, 24 October 2026, his intention to sign an agreement with the Egyptian government concerning St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, following more than a year of negotiations and unanimous support from several Orthodox Churches.
In a statement, the Archbishop explained that the agreement would be signed as soon as his health permitted, with the exact date to be determined in consultation with the Sinai monastic brotherhood and the Egyptian government.
The agreement aims to resolve outstanding legal issues arising from the 28 May 2025, ruling of the Ismailia Court of Appeal, while safeguarding the uninterrupted continuation of monastic life and clarifying the monastery’s operational status under Egyptian law.
Negotiations and Legal Issues
According to Archbishop Symeon, the Egyptian government submitted the draft agreement following the court ruling, which created new legal circumstances concerning the monastery.
The Sinai brotherhood subsequently requested sufficient time to examine the proposed agreement, suggest improvements and prepare a comprehensive legal and scholarly dossier concerning the monastery’s existing status and the properties under discussion.
The Archbishop expressed appreciation for the understanding demonstrated by the Egyptian government and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi throughout the negotiations, which continued for more than a year, partly due to his recent health difficulties.
Referring to the pending proceedings before Egypt’s highest court of cassation, Archbishop Symeon expressed confidence that the forthcoming agreement would make a judicial ruling unnecessary.
“In this atmosphere of firmly established trust between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Monastery of Sinai, we are confident that, following today’s announcement concerning the aforementioned agreement, there is no longer any reason for the Supreme Court of Cassation of the Arab Republic of Egypt to issue its ruling,” he stated.
He also expressed confidence that the relationship of trust established between the monastery and the Egyptian authorities would facilitate the resolution of any issues arising during the implementation of the agreement.
Unanimous Support from Orthodox Churches
Archbishop Symeon placed particular emphasis on the support received from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus.
He explained that the Sinai brotherhood initially approached the Patriarchate of Jerusalem to seek its opinion on the proposed agreement.
His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem subsequently consulted His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, and the Churches of Cyprus and Greece.
Following detailed briefings, all the Churches expressed their support for signing the agreement through official Patriarchal and Synodal letters.
According to Archbishop Symeon, they conveyed their “unreserved fraternal support for the signing of the aforementioned agreement, with the hope and expectation that it will contribute to the secure settlement of outstanding issues and the safeguarding of the monastery’s historical and legitimate rights.”
The Archbishop described this common position as an expression of unity among the Orthodox Churches of the East and a reaffirmation of their practical support for St. Catherine’s Monastery.
“Mount Sinai Remains in Its Place”
Concluding his statement, Archbishop Symeon thanked the Primates and Holy Synods of the Orthodox Churches for their solidarity, while also highlighting the longstanding historical relationship between Greece and Egypt.
He reassured the faithful that monastic life at St. Catherine’s Monastery continued despite the legal uncertainties surrounding its status.
“By the grace of God, the God-trodden Mount Sinai remains ‘in its place,’ with the Fathers serving it, continuing their spiritual struggle, and welcoming every pilgrim, visitor and traveler,” the Archbishop concluded.
The agreement has not yet been signed, but its anticipated conclusion represents a significant development in efforts to safeguard the monastery’s historic rights and ensure the continuation of its centuries-old monastic tradition.
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