Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis has hailed the agreement concerning St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai as a “historic day for Hellenism and Orthodoxy”, saying it establishes a secure legal foundation for the monastery after 1,500 years of uncertainty.

In a statement on Saturday, Gerapetritis said the agreement between the monastery and the Egyptian state would permanently safeguard its religious character and ecclesiastical properties, while ensuring the continuation of monastic life through the granting of long-term residence permits to its monks.

The Greek foreign minister also described the development as a demonstration of Orthodox unity, stressing that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Alexandria and Jerusalem, and the Churches of Cyprus and Greece had all supported the agreement.

He underlined that the Greek government “has stood and will continue to stand” alongside the historic Orthodox Patriarchates and St Catherine’s Monastery, through concrete action rather than empty promises.

Gerapetritis’ statement in full

“Today is a historic day for Hellenism and Orthodoxy. The beacon of Orthodoxy, the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai, is acquiring a solid legal foundation through the agreement between the Monastery and the Egyptian State.

“After 1,500 years during which the Monastery’s legal status remained uncertain and unregulated, today’s agreement ensures, in perpetuity, the preservation of the Monastery’s religious character and that of its ecclesiastical properties, as well as the continuity of the Monastery through the granting of long-term residence permits to its monks.

“I would particularly like to thank, on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Government, the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose personal intervention made this agreement possible, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Badr Abdelatty, with whom we enjoy a relationship of deep mutual respect and trust.

“Today’s agreement is the embodiment of a profound strategic relationship, but also of a fraternal relationship between Greece and Egypt, extending across all fields.

“Today is also a day that sends a message of unity for Orthodoxy. The agreement was embraced and supported by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Church of Cyprus and the Church of Greece.

“In difficult times, amid seismic changes, the Orthodox Faith remains united and constitutes a valuable legacy for the future of Hellenism.

“The Greek Government has stood, and will continue to stand, by our historic Orthodox Patriarchates and the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, through concrete actions that break centuries of inertia, rather than through hollow rhetoric and empty words, because responsibility and seriousness are the hallmarks of our State.”

Archbishop Symeon announces plans to sign agreement with Egypt

Earlier on Saturday, Archbishop Symeon of Sinai announced that he would sign the agreement with Egypt, paving the way for the resolution of outstanding legal proceedings that had threatened the very existence of the historic monastery.

In his statement, Archbishop Symeon highlighted the support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus.

He said they had expressed their “unreserved fraternal support for the signing of the aforementioned agreement, with the hope and expectation that it will contribute to the secure settlement of outstanding issues and the protection of the Monastery’s historic and lawful rights”.

“This development naturally gives the Sinai Brotherhood and me personally the support needed to proceed with signing the Agreement in the near future, as soon as my health permits. A specific date for the signing will then be determined in consultation with the Fathers and the Egyptian government,” Archbishop Symeon said.

He also expressed confidence that the latest development had removed the need for a ruling by Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court, which had been expected on Saturday, 24 October.

Archbishop Symeon’s statement in full

“One year ago, following my election as the new Archbishop of Sinai, the Greek Orthodox Holy Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai (St Catherine’s) received a draft agreement from the respected Egyptian government concerning the relationship between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Holy Monastery.

“This followed the ruling of the Ismailia Court of Appeal of 28 May 2025, which preceded my election and created certain established legal circumstances within the Egyptian legal system.

“The proposed agreement sought to clarify further aspects of the court ruling and the manner of its implementation, in accordance with arrangements that have prevailed for centuries, so as 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 legislation 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 fifteen centuries.

“At the same time, the Monastery requested sufficient time to examine the proposal thoroughly, submit counterproposals aimed at improving certain provisions concerning its practical implementation, for which additional explanatory documents were also prepared, and compile, on a scholarly basis, a dossier concerning its existing status and documentation of the properties under discussion. This dossier was subsequently developed into a comprehensive academic study.

“We wish to emphasise with particular satisfaction that, in this respect, the Monastery enjoyed the understanding of the respected Egyptian government and its esteemed President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

“As a result, the dialogue has already continued for more than a year, a period also affected by my recent health difficulties.

“Throughout this effort, we have had the understanding 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 an ark of universal Orthodoxy, and matters concerning it can potentially become issues of major importance to Christians throughout the world, particularly Orthodox believers.

“It is therefore no coincidence that, during the intervening period, the Sinai Brotherhood received a variety of conflicting recommendations and information, from both competent and unauthorised individuals, from those with expertise and from those who, despite their good intentions, lacked sufficient knowledge.

“Nevertheless, without ignoring or undervaluing any substantiated opinion, the Brotherhood considered that it would 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, with which we are canonically affiliated, so that, following a detailed briefing on the proposed agreement and the circumstances surrounding it, we could obtain the considered opinion of the Church of Zion on the matter.

“His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, recognising that the issue required broader consideration, and in accordance with our own wishes, subsequently approached 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 are able to state that all the aforementioned Churches, having been informed in detail, have welcomed the agreement through Patriarchal and Synodal Letters, which have been placed in the Monastery’s archives.

“They have expressed their unreserved fraternal support for the signing of the aforementioned agreement, with the hope and expectation that it will contribute to the secure settlement of outstanding issues and the protection of the Monastery’s historic and lawful rights.

“This development naturally gives the Sinai Brotherhood and me personally the support needed to proceed with signing the Agreement in the near future, as soon as my health permits. A specific date for the signing 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 honoured Patriarchal and Synodal Letters it has received, it has provided an occasion for this unity to be reaffirmed once again.

“It also rejoices that the Monastery of Sinai, situated ‘in a desert land, untrodden and without water’, enjoys their love and practical support in complete unanimity.

“In this atmosphere 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 aforementioned agreement, there is no longer any reason for the Supreme Administrative Court of the Arab Republic of Egypt to issue its ruling.

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

“Expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the venerable Primates and their respective Holy Synods, we 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 wondrous unity, the entirety of Eastern Orthodoxy in support of the Monastery of Sinai.

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

“Finally, addressing everyone, we assure you that the God-Trodden Mount Sinai remains, by the grace of God, ‘in its rightful place’, with the Fathers continuing to serve it, persevere in their mission and welcome every pilgrim, visitor and traveller.”