Archbishop Damian of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho has made an appeal to the governments of Greece and Egypt.

In a video message, the archbishop emphasized that normal order has been restored at the Monastery of Sinai following the expulsion of rebellious monks. However, he stressed that he is appealing to both the Greek government and the Egyptian government, of which he is a citizen, to stand by him because, as he says, “my life is in danger.”

Rebel Monks Tried to Break the Doors and Seize the Monastery
Earlier today, the situation at the Monastery of Sinai reached a critical point, as the monks who were expelled yesterday after their failed coup remained outside the gates and attempted to re-enter.

Archbishop Damian had called on the Egyptian authorities to take action to remove them, denouncing threats to his life and legal actions being pursued against him. According to his associates, he remained inside the monastery, while the insurgents continuously called for supporters and attempted, through shouting and pressure, to re-enter. The same sources noted that although the Egyptian police were present nearby, they did not intervene to remove the monks.

On the contrary, according to eyewitnesses, officials who had been in contact with the authorities reportedly advised the Archbishop and the monastic community to allow the return of the insurgents, causing serious concern for the security of the monastic complex and its smooth operation.