Archbishop of Sinai: St. Catherine’s Monastery has returned to normal life

Archbishop Damianos of Sinai. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency

On August 26, 2025, Archbishop Damianos of Sinai declared that St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt had returned to legality and normal life after a crisis caused by internal conflict among its monks, reports Orthodoxia News Agency.

The monastery faced a serious crisis when a group of monks attempted to organize a coup against the abbot. According to the archbishop, these monks convened a meeting without his knowledge and sought to change the rules of governance at the monastery.

“Today at noon I arrived at St. Catherine’s Monastery with the aim of reconciliation and dialogue with a small group of monks who were plotting a coup. These monks, without my approval, convened an assembly to introduce changes in the rules for running the monastery. They attacked me, but the brotherhood, which had not taken part in the conspiracy, defended the monastery and drove the violators beyond its walls,” the archbishop’s statement reads.

Despite this, the expelled monks attempted to return to the monastery, but unsuccessfully, and the situation remained tense.

Archbishop Damianos stressed that soon afterwards a general assembly of the brotherhood – a Synaxis – was held. Since the conspirators had been excommunicated, they could not participate in this assembly.

“The monastery has returned to legality and orderliness,” emphasized Archbishop Damianos. He also expressed gratitude to the Great Martyr St. Catherine, whom he called the protectress and guardian of the monastery: “We must offer a profound apology that the pettiness and ambitions of some became a cause of scandal for the faithful. With great humility and repentance we ask forgiveness.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a delegation of the Jerusalem Patriarchate had called on the monks of Sinai to reconciliation.

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