His deep concern is expressed by the Archbishop of America Hope For developments concerning the future of Holy Monastery of St. Catherine Mount Sinai following the recent court ruling of the Egyptian authorities threatening to seize the monastery’s property and disrupt its sacred mission.
In his announcement, the Archbishop of America calls on the Egyptian government to honor its previous commitments to protect the autonomy’s autonomy and heritage, noting that such actions violate religious freedoms and endanger a place.
“Recent judicial decisions, which threaten the monastery’s property and disturbing its intellectual mission, raise profound concern throughout the civilized world. Such measures are not only a violation of religious freedom, but they endanger a place of incalculable historical and cultural value. It is imperative for the Egyptian government to comply with its previous commitments and to protect the autonomy and sanctified heritage of the monastery, ”he notes.
In this context, the Archbishop emphasizes that throughout the eighteen centuries of its historical course, the Sinai Monastery has served as a spiritual ark that has maintained harmonious relationships with a variety of administrations and local authorities, which have long confirmed and preserved it. In this context, the Archbishop emphasizes that the Monastery of Sinai is a symbol of centuries of peaceful coexistence between Christians, Muslims and Jews, thus transcending the narrow religious boundaries, which constitutes a universal human and spiritual heritage.
The Archbishop of America at the end appeals to religious leaders, international organizations and all the faithful to participate in the defense of the preservation of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine. As he notes, “let us work collectively to ensure that this sacred institution will continue to inspire and unite people of all religions for future generations.”
Historical backlash
“The Holy Monastery of St. Catherine, built at the foot of Mount Sinai, is a living witness of the uninterrupted depot of faith, theological education, and the interfaith of coexistence. It is the earliest Christian monastery in the world, as it was founded in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I. The monastery is just in the place where God appeared in Moses in the midst of the inflammatory battle and below the mountain in which the Decalogue was given, that is, the law of God.
This Sacred Land highlighted great saints of the Church, such as Agios Ioannis, author of the book “Scale” and Saint Gregory Sinaitis, who conveyed the quiet tradition to the Slavic peoples. The monastery has preserved invaluable archaeological and spiritual treasures of the Christian tradition, including its famous library with ancient manuscripts, as well as the most important collection of portable icons in the world.
In May 2023, I had the excellent honor of leading a pilgrimage visit to Greek Americans to this sacred place. Together we worshiped the chapel of the inflamed Bato, reached Mount Sinai and came into contact with the monastic fraternity, which has been unstoppable for centuries the light of Orthodox spirituality. That visit made us feel that the monastery remains a living monument of faith and dedication. “