Athens responded positively to the late-night clarifications issued by the Egyptian government, emphasizing that the religious status of the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai will not be affected, despite some government sources clarifying that Egypt must implement its commitments and finalize the pending agreement for the definitive protection of the monastery’s character.

The tense situation that unfolded from midday onward arose following yesterday’s decision by the Ismailia Court of Appeal, which ruled negatively concerning a significant portion of the monastery’s property, igniting tensions and prompting the government into a crisis management mode. While phone lines were “hot,” the Greek Foreign Ministry and the Egyptian presidency worked to mitigate the impressions.

“The Presidency of the Republic reaffirms its full commitment to maintaining the unique and sacred religious status of the Monastery of Saint Catherine and to not harm this status. It also confirms that the recent judicial decision reinforces this status,” stated the Egyptian presidential spokesperson in a late-night message. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry clarified via a statement to the MENA agency that the sacred character of the monastery is protected and recognized through the court decision, noting that monks are permitted to use the religious and archaeological sites in the area. An official announcement from the Egyptian presidency was also issued.

The Egyptian effort to reverse the narrative—both domestically and internationally—appeared to be partly driven by Greek diplomatic advice at a higher level. According to information obtained by protothema.gr, throughout the afternoon, Foreign Minister Gerapetritis was in continuous contact with both the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the Egyptian presidency, aiming to clarify exactly what the court ruling entailed and to ensure Egypt’s intentions were clear. Reports indicate that there was no direct communication between Prime Minister Mitsotakis and President el-Sisi, though such contact cannot be ruled out later today.

The Commitments

While diplomatic circles mobilized to respond, the Greek side was taken aback by the court’s decision. Throughout recent weeks, including during his visit to Maximos Mansion, Egyptian President el-Sisi had assured that a Greece-Egypt agreement to safeguard the Greek Orthodox character of the monastery was only a matter of time. This issue is of personal interest to Prime Minister Mitsotakis, who had visited Saint Catherine’s Monastery decades ago with his father, Konstantinos Mitsotakis.

Government sources emphasized yesterday that there is no indication of the monastery being expropriated or closed, although the status of the monks remains uncertain, given the monastery’s autonomous governance. They also clarified that the court ruling concerns only a limited part of the monastery’s property—specifically certain farmland for which the monastery lacked formal titles of ownership. Monks countered that the establishment of the Egyptian state postdates the acquisition of the church’s property.

In any case, last night, Egyptian officials explicitly stated that they wish to avoid damaging the “fraternal” Greek-Egyptian relations.

Reactions

Initial reactions to the court decision, along with statements from monastery representatives suggesting conversion into a museum, sparked controversy within Egypt. Archbishop Ieronymos condemned what he called a “sacred desecration,” urging the government to take initiatives. Former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras accused the government of international embarrassment. All opposition parties followed suit, with several ND officials, including Dora Bakoyannis, Dimitris Avramopoulos, Euripides Stylianidis, Maximos Harakopoulos, and Stelios Petsa, calling for diplomatic and international action.

A senior diplomatic source told protothema.gr late in the evening that, in light of Egypt’s assurances, the development is “disgraceful for those who, without reading the court decision, hastily raised the banner of revolution.”