St. Catherine’s Monastery nears settlement to end dispute with Egyptian government

A long-running dispute between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Egyptian government over St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula and its surrounding lands appears to be nearing resolution after more than a year of negotiations.

The development follows an agreement by Archbishop Symeon Papadopoulos, the monastery’s abbot, to sign a contract regulating its legal status. The proposed settlement is expected to be signed in December and to “ensure the continuation of monastic life at the monastery under Egyptian sovereignty” and bring ongoing legal proceedings to an end.

However, some provisions remain unclear, and opposition persists within certain Church circles.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty had received a letter from Papadopoulos confirming his willingness to sign the agreement concerning the monastery and its surrounding lands.

Abdelatty welcomed the move, reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to preserving the monastery and its religious significance as a historic landmark embodying the values of tolerance and coexistence among religions and civilizations.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Nader Shukry, a researcher specializing in citizenship issues and Coptic affairs, said an agreement was close to being finalized following lengthy negotiations.

According to Shukry, the proposed settlement has been welcomed by Greece and the three Greek Orthodox patriarchates of Jerusalem, under whose jurisdiction the monastery falls, Constantinople (the Ecumenical Patriarchate), and Alexandria.

Shukry explained that the agreement’s full provisions have not yet been officially disclosed. However, information circulating about the negotiations suggests that the settlement will address the status of 72 plots of land surrounding the monastery, some of which have been cultivated by its monks.

In 2015, the South Sinai Governorate filed a lawsuit concerning the properties. In May 2025, an appeals court ruled that the monastery had no legal entitlement to the disputed lands, imposed a fine of 10 million Egyptian pounds, and ordered the monks to vacate the properties.

According to the reported terms of the proposed agreement, the monks would be allowed to continue using the lands they cultivate under a lease arrangement involving a nominal rent. However, the fate of all 72 plots remains uncertain, including whether the monks will be required to vacate some of them.

Shukry also noted that a hearing before Egypt’s Court of Cassation, originally scheduled for October, has been postponed until Dec. 27 to allow sufficient time for the agreement to be signed before the court issues its ruling.

He attributed the delay in finalizing the agreement to Papadopoulos’ health condition, noting that the archbishop is currently in Greece.

The settlement is also expected to address the residency status of the monastery’s monks, all of whom are foreign nationals, by facilitating the renewal of their residence permits.

Following the agreement, a presidential decree is also expected to formally recognize Papadopoulos as head of the monastery, enabling him to conduct banking transactions and complete official administrative procedures.

Shukry pointed to the precedent of Papadopoulos’ predecessor, Archbishop Damianos, whose position was formally recognized by a similar decree issued by the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Damianos was also granted Egyptian citizenship.

Shukry believes the settlement will bring greater stability to the monastery while allowing the Egyptian government to proceed with its Great Transfiguration project, an initiative aimed at transforming the St. Catherine area into an international religious tourism destination.

He emphasized that the development project does not affect the monastery itself, rejecting reports suggesting that Egyptian authorities intend to expel the monks or take control of the historic religious site.

Shukry said he expects the agreement to be signed before the Dec. 27 court hearing.

Nevertheless, opposition remains among some monks and clergy, including former abbot Damianos, who reject any agreement recognizing Egyptian state ownership of the monastery and its surrounding lands.

Those opposing the proposed settlement maintain that historical documents preserved at the monastery establish the Church’s ownership rights over the property.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Source: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/middle-east/st-catherine-s-monastery-nears-settlement-to-end-dispute-with-egyptian-government