Jerusalem Patriarchate: We fully support the Sinai brotherhood

The Saint Catherine Monastery at Sinai. Photo: Romfea.gr

On August 31, 2025, the Jerusalem Patriarchate issued an official statement regarding the situation at the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai. The document emphasizes that the Patriarchate fully supports the Sinai Brotherhood and recognizes the rights of the monks, guaranteed by the monastery’s foundational statutes and preserved through its centuries-old monastic tradition. This was reported by Romfea.

The statement clarifies that such support is exercised within the framework of the spiritual and canonical jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate over the monastery. The Patriarchate also called upon the Greek state and other concerned parties to cooperate in order to ensure order and to restore peace and unity within the monastery.

Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, in an interview with Real News, stressed that Athens does not interfere in internal church affairs. However, he acknowledged the risks of further escalation and noted that Greece is engaged in talks with the Egyptian authorities concerning the protection of the monastery’s rights and the preservation of its unique character.

The situation escalated after Archbishop Damian expelled a group of monks from the monastery, struck 11 names from the monastery’s register, and accused them of “conspiracy.” According to media reports, the monks are refusing to leave the monastery, while the Archbishop himself claims that his life is under threat.

The crisis has also taken on an inter-Orthodox dimension. The Ecumenical Patriarchate officially expressed support for Archbishop Damian of Sinai as the legitimate head of the monastery. A statement of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople emphasized: “Upon reading the letter of His Eminence Archbishop Damian of Sinai, support was expressed to him by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which considers him the legitimate and canonical archbishop and abbot, while continuing to recognize the centuries-old status of the Holy Monastery of Sinai.”

For its part, the Jerusalem Patriarchate declared its support for the monastery’s brotherhood: “The Jerusalem Patriarchate fully supports the Sinai Brotherhood, recognizing the rights of the fathers of the Holy Monastery, guaranteed by its foundational statutes and preserved in its centuries-old monastic tradition. This support is expressed within the framework of the spiritual and canonical jurisdiction exercised by the Jerusalem Patriarchate over the Holy Monastery of Sinai.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Archbishop Damian had appealed to Greece and Egypt for protection following the escalation of the situation at the Monastery of Saint Catherine.

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