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6d ago

Egyptian Court Transfers St Catherine Monastery Assets to State as Greece Seeks Assurances

Greek officials demand assurance from Cairo that the UNESCO site will remain operational after the May 28 decision.

A 2017 picture of the 6th century Saint Catherine's monastery, established at the biblical site of the burning bush in the Sinai
St Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai has operated as a Christian community since the 6th century — but Greek media claims Egypt may turn it into a museum

Overview

  • A Sinai court ruled on May 28 that lands used by the 1,500-year-old monastery are state property, granting the monastic community usage rights but transferring formal ownership to Egypt.
  • Egypt’s Foreign Ministry and Presidency issued statements rejecting any plan to close the monastery or evict its monks, saying the ruling reinforces its unique religious and spiritual status.
  • Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens condemned the decision as an infringement on religious freedoms and warned it threatens the monastery’s centuries-old Christian heritage.
  • Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expects Egypt to honour commitments made during their May 7 Athens summit and is awaiting the full court text.
  • Home to over 3,300 manuscripts and 16,000 rare books, the UNESCO World Heritage site now faces uncertainty as it becomes entangled in a broader South Sinai land dispute and mass-tourism development project.