The Ecumenical Patriarchate expressed its “sorrow and disappointment” at an Egyptian court ruling that it said “disputes the centuries-old ownership status of the historic Holy Monastery of Sinai” and only gives the monks residing there the right to its use.
An appeals court in Egypt ruled two days ago in favor of seizure of the historical Saint Catherine Monastery in Sinai, the eviction of the 20 monks and the hegumen.
In a written statement issued on Friday, the foremost among the Orthodox Christian Churches appealed to the government of Egypt to find a way to preserve the monastery’s age-old ownership status and abide by a recently reached agreement. He pointed out that this ownership status had been “particularly respected and carefully tended” for centuries by Islam.
“The centuries respected the Monastery of Sinai. Let Egypt respect it today,” the announcement stressed, noting that the monastery’s presence was a valuable asset for Egypt.
“It does it honor and links symbolically and in essence on its soil the two great religions of Christianity and Islam,” the statement stressed.
According to Greek media, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is currently in Vatican for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV and he intents to convey to spiritual leader of the Catholic Church is issue with Saint Catherine Monastery in Sinai.