Greece establishes legal body to represent St. Catherine Monastery on Sinai

St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai. Photo: Romfea

St. Catherine’s Monastery of Sinai has received official legal status in Greece following the adoption of a bill establishing a legal entity to represent the monastery within the country, according to the Greek Ministry of Education.

Discussions on the draft legislation began on July 25, 2025, in the Standing Committee of the Greek Parliament on Education. The bill was developed by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports.

“The Greek state is demonstrating its commitment to supporting the mission and work of the Holy Monastery and to protecting its interests,” stated Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki.
“This is a historic initiative which, for the first time in fifteen centuries, grants a clear legal status to this unique religious and cultural institution, while respecting its autonomy and ecclesiastical identity.”

According to Zacharaki, the initiative is intended to show that the state is preserving a cultural and spiritual “treasure” that belongs to all humanity.
“We are tangibly demonstrating that Greece is the cradle of Orthodoxy,” she added.

In essence, this is about establishing a representation of the monastery in Greece – it does not seek to change the jurisdiction of the monastery itself, which is located in Egypt. This step was taken in response to a recent ruling by an Egyptian court declaring that the land on which the monastery stands is state-owned rather than monastery property.

The newly created legal entity will officially represent the monastery’s interests in Greece, manage its property, and help preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage of the ancient monastic community.

Earlier, the Egyptian Foreign Minister stated that his government respects the religious status of St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai.

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