(update) No change in Mt. Sinai monastery’s status, Egypt says
Egypt’s Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have categorically denied that there will be a change in the status of Saint Catherine Monastery following a court ruling Wednesday.
The Egyptian Presidency reaffirmed, in a statement late Thursday, its full commitment to maintaining the monastery’s “unique and sacred religious status” and to ensure it that it is not violated.
“The Presidency of the Republic would like to affirm its full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of St. Catherine’s Monastery and to ensuring that this status is not violated. The Presidency affirms that the recent court ruling consolidates this status. The court ruling is also consistent with what the President of the Republic emphasized during his recent visit to Athens on May 7. The Presidency also affirms the importance of preserving the close and fraternal relations that bind the two countries and peoples and not compromising them,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, a foreign ministry spokesman, responding to a query by the Middle East News Agency (MENA) “underscored the paramount significance of avoiding any harm to the close, fraternal, and historical relations that bind Egypt to the friendly Hellenic Republic, which have spanned across centuries,” MENA reported.
“In response to an inquiry by the Middle East News Agency regarding the judicial ruling issued on May 28 concerning the lands surrounding the Monastery of Saint Catherine and the rumors circulated about the confiscation of the monastery and its affiliated lands, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that such claims are completely unfounded and that upon reviewing the full text of the ruling, the following facts become clear:
First, the Monastery of Saint Catherine, its affiliated archaeological sites, its spiritual value, religious significance, and the monastery’s associated cemeteries aren’t infringed. The spokesperson affirmed that this judicial ruling represents the first instance in which the legal status of the monastery has been regulated, with a clear affirmation of the preservation of its sacred standing.
Second, although there are some additional sites for which contracts had been signed with local authorities—despite their classification as natural reserves—the court ruling, in recognition of the spiritual and religious value of the monastery, has approved the continued right of the monastery’s monks to benefit from those areas, as well as from the religious and archaeological sites within the region.
Third, the judicial ruling referred to the existence of some remote areas within the natural reserves that are completely distant from the monastery and uninhabited, for which no ownership or possession documents exist. Consequently, these lands are considered state property.
The Spokesperson highlighted the necessity of verifying information and refraining from issuing erroneous and premature judgments before reviewing the full text of the judicial ruling. He further underscored the paramount significance of avoiding any harm to the close, fraternal, and historical relations that bind Egypt to the friendly Hellenic Republic, which have spanned across centuries,” MENA reported.
Before the statements were issued, Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis reaffirmed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ commitment to safeguarding the Greek Orthodox identity of the monastery.
“Once the official and full content of the court decision is known and evaluated, there will be an official position,” Marinakis said.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis contacted his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, to reiterate Greece’s position that “there is no room for deviation” on the common understanding reached by both countries on the monastery’s status, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Source: MENA/Kathimerini
