Egypt and Greece clash over St. Catherine's – home to Moses's Well, world's oldest library

Following a recent court ruling affirming Egyptian state ownership over the land of St. Catherine's Monastery, a Greek government delegation led by Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis is expected to travel to Cairo for final talks regarding the situation.

According to The Washington Times, the Ismailia Administrative Appeal Court affirmed the Egyptian state's ownership of the land on which the monastery sits, stating that all the land and sites "the state owns as public property." Despite reassurances from Egyptian officials, the ruling raised alarm among Orthodox Christian leaders. Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece warned that the monastery's properties were being "seized and confiscated."

St. Catherine's Monastery, founded in the sixth century and governed by the Greek Orthodox Church of Sinai, is the world's oldest continuously inhabited monastery, located at the base of Mount Sinai. The monastery houses a collection of ancient manuscripts and icons, second in importance only to those in the Vatican, and contains religious relics, including the well where Moses is believed to have met his wife Zipporah.

In response to the backlash following the court ruling, Egyptian officials moved quickly to address concerns. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated that Egypt is "fully committed to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery," assuring Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the ruling would not undermine the monastery's sanctity, according to Al-Monitor. Egypt's foreign ministry stressed its commitment to protecting the monastery's spiritual and historical character. "The court ruling consolidates the site's sacred status," the ministry asserted, The Washington Times reported.

However, Orthodox Christian leaders remained unconvinced. "Treating the monks as mere users of the land undermines their long-standing property rights," warned the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, The Washington Times reported. "This spiritual beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism is now facing a genuine threat to its existence," Ieronymos said, according to The Washington Times. "With deep sorrow and indignation, I call upon the Greek government and international bodies to recognize the magnitude of this danger and to take urgent action to safeguard fundamental religious freedoms at the sacred monastery of Sinai."

According to The Washington Times, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem said it would monitor the situation closely and respond to any "encroachment" on access to the monastery. Church officials and the Greek government expressed concern that the ruling threatens longstanding religious protections.

Al-Monitor reported that the Greek delegation is expected to present its position, supported by a UNESCO document demonstrating Egypt's acknowledgment of the Greek Orthodox Church's ownership of the land and buildings since 2002. "Preserving the pilgrimage and Greek Orthodox character of the monastery" is of utmost importance, Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized, as reported by Al-Monitor.

According to Al-Monitor, St. Catherine's Monastery is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, and UNESCO stated that "the entire area is of immense spiritual significance" to these faiths. The site's religious importance stems from its location at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments, according to the world's three major monotheistic religions. The monastery houses the Chapel of the Burning Bush and is revered by Christians as the site of the Burning Bush in the Book of Exodus, The Washington Times reported.

Al-Monitor reported that construction began in March 2021 for the Great Transfiguration megaproject in the Saint Catherine area, raising concerns about the monastery's future. The project includes an events hall, hundreds of hotel rooms, and a new residential area with hundreds of units. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem. In 2023, UNESCO requested that Egypt "halt the implementation of any further development projects," conduct an impact evaluation, and develop a conservation plan.

Written with the help of a news-analysis system.

Al-Monitor stated that, according to a report by World Heritage Watch, the project has "destroyed the integrity of this historical and biblical landscape." Local authorities reported a peak of 2,000 visitors to Mount Sinai in a single day last December. The area around St. Catherine's Monastery is home to the Jabaliya tribe, whose members maintain a close connection to the monastery, with many working as tour guides.

Al-Ahram reported that Egyptian authorities have denied any plans affecting the monastery, insisting that development efforts target the surrounding city, not the monastery itself. Egyptian officials told media that the monks will have guaranteed continued access to St. Catherine's Monastery and its immediate surroundings, The Washington Times reported. "The ruling is merely the first instance in which the legal status of the monastery has been regulated," Egypt's foreign ministry insisted, according to The Washington Times.

"The situation threatens to confiscate the monastery's property and disrupt its spiritual mission," said Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, calling it "deeply troubling," according to The Washington Times. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople urged Egypt to uphold the monastery's historical ownership, noting that it had been respected by Muslim authorities for centuries, The Washington Times reported.

According to The Washington Times, the underlying dispute traces back to 2015 when authorities initiated legal proceedings over land declarations submitted by the monastery. In 2021, the South Sinai Governorate filed a new case against St. Catherine's Monastery, leading to the recent court ruling, Al-Ahram reported. A draft settlement was finalized in December between the South Sinai governor and the monastery's legal team but ultimately collapsed, The Washington Times reported.

According to Al-Ahram, St. Catherine's Monastery remains the only site in the Sinai Peninsula declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolizing Egypt's multifaceted religious heritage. The monastery operates the world's oldest continuously functioning library, attracting hundreds of pilgrims and tourists every year, The Washington Times noted.