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[INTERNATIONAL] · Egypt, Greece · 40 sources

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Saint Catherine’s Monastery reaches legal agreement with Egypt

Archbishop Symeon of Sinai has announced his intention to sign a landmark legal agreement with the Egyptian state regarding the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine. The deal follows over a year of negotiations and aims to resolve long-standing judicial uncertainties that threatened the monastery’s existence.

The agreement establishes a stable legal framework for the monastery, which had operated without formal regulation for 1,500 years. Key provisions include securing the permanent religious character of the monastery and its ecclesiastical properties, as well as granting long-term residency permits to its monks.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerepetritis described the development as a historic milestone for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, noting that it strengthens the strategic relationship between Greece and Egypt. The agreement received unanimous support from major Orthodox institutions, including the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Jerusalem, and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus.

The signing date will be determined once Archbishop Symeon’s health permits. The announcement is expected to prevent the issuance of a pending ruling by Egypt’s Court of Cassation regarding the monastery’s property and legal status.

Entities

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi · Abdel Fattah el-Sisi · Archbishop Simeon · Archbishop Symeon · Ecumenical Patriarchate · Egypt · Egyptian Government · George Gerapetritis · Giorgos Gerapetritis · Giorgos Gerepetritis · Orthodox Church of Greece · Saint Catherine's Monastery

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