A breakthrough has been announced in the long-running dispute over the future of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, with Archbishop Symeon confirming on Saturday that he intends to sign an agreement with the Egyptian government aimed at resolving the legal uncertainties threatening the historic religious institution.

In a statement, the Archbishop acknowledged the decisive support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, and the Orthodox Churches of Greece and Cyprus, all of which have endorsed the proposed agreement following lengthy negotiations.

Their intervention, he said, had provided the monastery’s brotherhood and himself with the necessary reassurance to proceed with signing the agreement once his health permits.

“The development gives the Sinai Brotherhood and me personally the support to proceed with signing the agreement in the near future, as soon as my health allows,” Archbishop Symeon said, adding that a specific date would be agreed with the monks and the Egyptian government.

He also expressed confidence that the breakthrough would eliminate the need for Egypt’s highest appellate court to issue its ruling on the dispute, which had been expected on Saturday, 24 October.

“We are confident that, following today’s announcement concerning the agreement, there is no longer any reason for the Supreme Court of Cassation of the Arab Republic of Egypt to issue its ruling,” he said.

The agreement has not yet been formally signed, and the court’s decision to withhold or postpone its ruling has not been confirmed. The announcement nevertheless represents a significant step towards resolving a dispute over the monastery’s legal status, property rights and continued operation.

Archbishop Symeon’s statement in full

The Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai (St Catherine’s), one year ago, following my election as the new Archbishop of Sinai and in the wake of the ruling of the Ismailia Court of Appeal dated 28 May 2025, which preceded my election and created certain legal consequences within the Egyptian judicial system, received from the respected Egyptian government a draft agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Holy Monastery.

The proposed agreement sought to clarify further aspects of the court ruling and the manner of its implementation, in a way consistent with centuries-old practices, in order to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of monastic life and clarify the monastery’s position and operation within Egypt’s modern legal framework.

The Monastery of Sinai entered into dialogue while remaining bound by Egyptian law and the decisions of Egyptian courts, with a sense of responsibility towards its centuries-old spiritual heritage, as well as towards the authorities of Egypt, the land of the Nile, where it has flourished for 15 centuries.

At the same time, the monastery requested sufficient time to examine the proposal thoroughly, submit counterproposals to improve provisions concerning its practical implementation, for which additional explanatory documents were subsequently prepared, and compile, on a scholarly basis, a dossier documenting its existing status quo and the properties under discussion. This dossier was ultimately developed into a formal academic study.

We wish to emphasise, with particular satisfaction, that the monastery received the understanding of the respected Egyptian government and His Excellency President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in this regard. As a result, the dialogue has continued for more than a year, with my recent health difficulties also contributing to the delay.

Throughout this effort, we have enjoyed the support and assistance of the Greek state, as well as many other friends of the monastery around the world.

It is well known that the Monastery of Sinai has historically enjoyed a special status of ecclesiastical autonomy. At the same time, however, it constitutes a spiritual ark of universal Orthodoxy, and matters concerning it can become major issues for Christians throughout the world, particularly Orthodox believers.

It is therefore no coincidence that, during this period, the Sinai Brotherhood received numerous conflicting recommendations and pieces of information from those with and without authority, from experts and from those who, despite their good intentions, lacked a full understanding of the issues.

Nevertheless, without disregarding or underestimating any substantiated opinion, the Brotherhood concluded that it stood to benefit most from the centuries-old and uninterrupted experience of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, particularly the Patriarchs of the Orthodox East.

In this context, we approached the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, to which we are canonically affiliated, seeking the considered opinion of the Church of Zion after providing detailed information about the proposed agreement and the circumstances surrounding it.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, recognising that the matter required broader consideration and acting in accordance with our wishes, subsequently consulted His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, and the autocephalous Churches of Cyprus and Greece.

Today, with profound emotion, we can announce that all the aforementioned Churches, having been fully briefed, have welcomed the proposed agreement through patriarchal and synodal letters, which have been placed in the monastery’s archives.

They have expressed their wholehearted fraternal support for the signing of the agreement, together with the hope and expectation that it will contribute to the secure resolution of outstanding issues and the protection of the monastery’s historic and lawful rights.

This development naturally provides the Sinai Brotherhood and me personally with the support needed to proceed with signing the agreement in the near future, as soon as my health permits. A specific signing date will then be determined in consultation with the Fathers and the Egyptian government.

Above all, however, this development represents an expression of the unity of the Orthodox Churches of the East.

The God-Trodden Mount Sinai rejoices that, through the honourable patriarchal and synodal letters it has received, it has provided an opportunity for this unity to be reaffirmed once again.

The Monastery of Sinai, situated “in a desert land, impassable and without water”, enjoys their love and practical support in complete unanimity.

Against this background of firmly established trust between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Monastery of Sinai, we are confident that, following today’s announcement concerning the agreement, there is no longer any reason for the Supreme Court of Cassation of the Arab Republic of Egypt to issue its ruling.

We are confident that, during the implementation of the agreement, the atmosphere of established mutual trust between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Monastery of Sinai will enable us to resolve any specific outstanding matters that may arise concerning the agreement and its accompanying documents.

We warmly thank the venerable Primates and their Holy Synods and offer praise to the Almighty Lord.

We humbly believe that the intercession of the monastery’s patron saint, the Holy Great Martyr Catherine, has brought together, in remarkable unity, the entirety of Eastern Orthodoxy in support of the Monastery of Sinai.

Through this institution, the centuries-old, deep and fraternal relationship between two nations and great civilisations, Egypt and Greece, is reaffirmed.

Finally, addressing everyone, we assure them that the God-Trodden Mount Sinai remains, by the grace of God, firmly in its place, with the Fathers continuing their ministry, persevering in their spiritual struggle and welcoming every pilgrim, visitor and traveller.