Sinai Archbishop Simeon to Sign Agreement with Egypt

Archbishop Simeon of Sinai announced on Saturday that he will sign an agreement with the Egyptian state governing the operation of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine. The deal ends legal uncertainties that had threatened the monastery's very existence.

The archbishop said negotiations with the Egyptian government lasted more than one year. He also noted that a May 28, 2025 ruling by the Ismailia Court of Appeals had created final judgments in the Egyptian legal order.

“This development certainly gives the Sinai Brotherhood and me personally the support to proceed with signing the Agreement in the near future as soon as my health condition permits, then the specific signing date will be set with the Fathers and the Egyptian government.”

Simeon stated that the signing date will be set soon, once his health permits, in coordination with the fathers and the Egyptian government. He recently experienced a health issue that affected the timeline.

The monastery expressed support from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria, and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus. These churches offered their brotherly solidarity for signing the agreement.

Simeon said the Brotherhood of Sinai committed itself to Egyptian legislation and court decisions. He also asked for time to study the proposal and submit improvement suggestions for its practical implementation.

Phileleftheros reported that Simeon believes today's announcement removes the need for a ruling by Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court, which had been expected on October 24.

The monastery has operated in Egypt for fifteen centuries and sought to clarify its status and property documentation within the country's modern legal order.