End of season for Archbishop Damian in the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine Sinai, in Egyptas in a statement on Thursday afternoon (04.09.2025), it launched the process for its succession.
The Archbishop of Sinai Monastery in Egypt, made the move a few hours after his intervention Patriarchate of Jerusalemwho asked Archbishop Damian to attend Jerusalem to give explanations.
It is recalled that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in a letter from Patriarch Theophilos called Archbishop Sinai Damianos for explanations to Jerusalem next Monday, while He asks him to open directly to the gates of the monastery.
According to Archbishop Damianos himself: “I informed the Greek government yesterday about my decisions that are in the spirit of what I have already discussed with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece.
Since it is now given that the Holy Sinai Brotherhood agrees to strategic goals and regular methods to deal with existential crisis facing the monastery in which I dedicated my whole life, it’s time to take on my responsibilities and guarantee my succession processes that start directly And they must be completed quickly but in the right way that the Holy Sinai Brotherhood, united, focuses on resolving the big problem it faces. “
And added that ‘procedural details will be completed within the next few days, will be announced once they are agreed with everyone and will be implemented with the help of the Egyptian authorities, the Greek Government and the Church of Greece. “
Archbishop’s announcement
“Today 4/9/2025, the feast of the great Prophet Moses, one of the patrons of Sinai, the restoration of regularity and legality in the Sinai Monastery is now a reality. But it is not enough just to achieve the maximum goal of securing it from its centuries -long status and, above all, its future. In addition to normalcy and legality there is also a unity between the fathers of the Holy Sinai Brotherhood.
I realize that in the 91st year of my age, the thinking of many, inside and outside the monastery, focuses on the fact that my succession is a matter of time. It is precisely this thought is the real cause of the internal crisis that erupted in the Sinai Monastery. Our responsibility burdens us all, and first of all the Sinai fathers, but not in the same way. Unfortunately, my succession crisis coincided with the crisis caused by the decision of the Ismail Court of Appeal on 28/5/2025, with the result that the crisis turned into existential.
Most of the events it has been shown that all Sinaite Fathers, including 11 rebels, are sharing some common positions that must form the basis of a new section:
(A) To the maximum issue of the Judge of the Ismail Court of Appeal on 28/5/2025 all Sinai Fathers have the same view and the same objectives. This decision overturns the centuries -old regime of the Holy Monastery, paves the way for its degradation and museum.
B) The solution to the existential crisis we face will be in collaboration with the Egyptian and the Greek government and must be a tripartite agreement. Certainly the continuation of the attempt to justify the Holy Monastery through the Egyptian courts must and will continue under the responsibility of the new Archbishop Sinai, Faran and Raitho and the United Holy Synod Brotherhood.
C) The solution, in addition to the ownership issue, certainly includes (a) the recognition of an independent religious legal entity (sui geneeris) under the name “Greek Orthodox Holy Royal Autonomous Monastery Archbishop Sinai, Faran and Raitho and Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Sinai, (c) securing permits of residence to fathers through special procedures, d) the protection of the private collection of relics and manuscripts of the Holy Monastery and (e) the recognition of the artistic character.
D) Law 5224/2025 (A ‘142) is not only a milestone in the struggle of the Holy Monastery to secure its future and its well -meaning interest but also a critical strategic choice for both the Sinai Monastery and Greece. The relationship of the Holy Monastery with the Greek state is now determined by the Constitution and this law, thus being a strong and impenetrable shield for the Holy Monastery in both Greece and around the world.
E) The Sinai Brotherhood needs to accept new fathers to increase arithmetic.
(F) Pan -Orthodox The normal position of the Holy Monastery of Sinai has been irrevocably defined by the Ecumenical Patriarch Gabriel II in 1782. At the same time the final judge remains the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Sinai Monastery is “autonomous, self -sufficient, free, unimaginable, not subject to a patriarchal throne”.
Crises always prove a lot for many.
No one will forget who were those who immediately supported the Holy Monastery when the decision of 28/5/2025 became known. It was the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Bulgaria, the Church of Greece, the Church of Cyprus. Later, the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Patriarchate of Serbia and the Church of Albania were added.
The patriarch of Alexandria is equivalent to support. All other Patriarchates and all other Orthodox churches were silent outside the Patriarchate of Jerusalem whose announcement was the sole purpose of confirming an imperialist policy against the Holy Sinai Monastery aimed at transforming the Holy Monastery of Sinai. For this state of discord and division in the Orthodox world, responsibility is solely burdened by the Moscow Patriarchate but its results are paid by the whole of Orthodoxy. It is no coincidence that the first to rush to exploit the inner rift in the Holy Sinai Brotherhood were organizations, networks, parties and persons associated with Russia’s attempt to dismantle Orthodoxy, while promoting views against Orthodox Christian theology.
But I am glad for this document because the role of the Patriarch of Jerusalem is finally revealed in the event of the ecclesiastical coup – after all, it holds the relevant know -how – but mainly in the deepening of divisions within the Holy Sinai Brotherhood. But the most interesting is the time this document was sent. It was only sent when the Patriarchate of Jerusalem learned that today I would announce my decision to exit the crisis that plagues the Holy Sinai Brotherhood and that this decision has the agreement of the Fathers, the Greek Government, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Sinai Monastery has no tradition to do coups, to dispel patriarchs, and then to close them in internal prisons in order to exhaust them spiritually, mentally and physically. The Sinai Monastery would never show this little attitude that the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilus has personally shown when the inevitable time of the predecessor of the Irene predecessor came. Who will forget that the only one who was interested and then in the dignity of the anointed was the Greek government and the Church of Greece? Without the Greek Government and the Church of Greece, the sleeping would still be unhappy because the Patriarch of Jerusalem forbade himself to be buried anywhere within the boundaries of his ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Fortunately, even at the worst moment of the History of the Holy Monastery of Sina, this has not been done and we all have to make sure it doesn’t.
But I also owe a brief reference to the hypocrisy of many brothers about the famous issue of Mrs. AS. Thanks to it, many Greeks learned the term “incumbent”. If instead of a woman he was a man, they themselves “circles” and “brothers” would again poison the world all by implying the same things, the same dependencies and the same relationships. The implications would just be even more naive. Unfortunately, this fate has all the hierarchs that God has given us many years to live. But in the case of Mrs. AS, there is also plenty of misogyny, pious and puritanism. The Lord knows and judges!
I informed the Greek Government yesterday about my decisions that are in the spirit of what I have already discussed with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece. Since it is now given that the Holy Sinai Brotherhood agrees with the strategic goals and regular methods to deal with the existential crisis facing the monastery in which I dedicated my entire life, it is time to take on my responsibilities and guarantee my successes and to guarantee the procedures. focuses on resolving the big problem it faces.
The procedural details will be completed within the next few days, will be announced as soon as they are agreed with everyone and implemented with the help of the Egyptian authorities, the Greek government and the Church of Greece.
I forgive everyone and ask for everyone’s forgiveness! “