Greek team in Egypt to probe St Catherine Monastery 'eviction'

A Greek delegation will travel to Egypt on Monday to discuss the future of Saint Catherine's Monastery, after a controversial Egyptian court ruling declared the ancient Christian site sits on state-owned land.

The decision, handed down last week, has sparked alarm among Greek and Christian authorities, who warn it could undermine the monastery’s Greek Orthodox and pilgrimage character.

Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis confirmed the upcoming talks in an interview with ERT News on Sunday, saying Athens is committed to protecting the "Greek Orthodox and pilgrimage character of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine".

The ruling concerns a land dispute between the sixth-century monastery and Egypt’s South Sinai governorate. While the court acknowledged the monastery’s right to use the land and surrounding religious sites, it stated that all such properties "belong to the state as public property".

The timing of the ruling coincides with an Egyptian government initiative to develop the region as a tourist hub, centred on Mount Sinai, a key site for religious and adventure tourism.

Greek Orthodox leaders fear the developments could pave the way for tighter state control over the monastery, or even the removal of its monks.

Cairo has denied any threat to the monastery’s status. Marinakis said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had raised the issue directly with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a phone call earlier this month, stressing Greece’s position.

"The Prime Minister clearly conveyed that preserving the Greek Orthodox and pilgrimage identity of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine is paramount," Marinakis said, noting that both sides agreed to resolve the matter through formal channels and mutual respect for religious traditions.

He expressed confidence that the monastery would continue to operate without interruption, calling it "one of the most emblematic Orthodox monasteries in the world" and a symbol deeply cherished by Greeks.

On Friday, Sisi reiterated Egypt’s “full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's Monastery” during a phone call with Mitsotakis, according to statements from both governments.

Saint Catherine’s Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was founded in the sixth century at the foot of Mount Sinai, believed to be the site of the biblical burning bush. It is considered the world’s oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery.